Normality
by WannabeGallagher
Summary: Gallagher Academy is a mental institution. Bex talks to ghosts, Liz sings to the moon and Macey cuts herself. Cammie doesn't know why she's there, they won't tell her… She's not like the others, she's normal. When Cammie meets Zach she realises her definition of normal might not suffice. The Gallagher Academy is ruining the girls even more than their own minds. She needs to help.
1. New

**A/N:**

**The Gallagher Academy is a mental institution. Bex talks to ghosts, Liz sings to the moon, Macey cuts herself. Cammie doesn't know why she's there, they won't tell her… She's not like the others, she's normal. The Gallagher Academy is ruining the girls even more than their own minds, can Cammie take control and lead everyone to safety? When Cammie meets Zach she realises her definition of normal might not suffice, and nothing is as it seems.**

**It's a new story. Ah. I'm scared to post this… so your thoughts would be good! Let me know if you like it, let me know if you hate it, let me know if I should carry on or if I should end it.**

**I should also say that I got loads of ideas for this from the book 'Sisters in Sanity'… but most of all Gallagher Girls of course!… and of course I don't own the characters Ally Carter does.**

"I thought last night was rather funny, when you told me that story about…"

I drowned Bex's voice out and fixed my gaze on the stone wall.

"Cammie, why don't you come and meet Claire?" I heard Bex giggle at me excitedly.

"I don't want to meet Claire at the moment" I sighed into my pillow.

"Come on, she'll be insulted if you don't" Bex urged.

"Really Bex, I'm not in the mood!" I moaned, but instantly felt guilty as I heard a sob escape Bex's mouth.

"Okay Bex I'm coming" I groaned and lifted myself off of the bed

Bex was sat on the floor; her lean legs sprawled out in front of her, her face lit up as I walked over. I smiled kindly at Bex and sat down beside her gently, I knew she didn't like to be touched and so I kept my distance.

I looked up at the blank wall that Bex was looking at.

"Can you hear her?!' Bex squeaked in excitement.

"Yes" I lied easily, I was more than use to pretending to see the ghosts that Bex talked to.

()()()()

"When will Liz get back?" I asked finally, after having a conversation with the wall for over five minutes. Bex finally drew her eyes away too.

"Liz is singing" Bex replied casually.

"Oh" I replied. I should have known, it was 6pm after all, the usual time that Lizzy decided the moon was listening to her sing. It was so normal now that I didn't even question it.

"And Macey?" I asked.

"Bathroom" Bex shrugged and began to talk to the ghosts again. Or as I called it, the wall.

Suddenly I leapt up. "The bathroom?!" I stuttered.

Bex ignored me, but I was instantly across the room, yelling as I ran.

"Bex, you know she's not allowed in there by herself! She…" But I might as well have been talking to myself for all the attention Bex was paying to me.

I threw open the bathroom door which of course wasn't permitted to have a lock. We hadn't earned that yet and with Macey as our roommate I doubted we ever would.

"Macey… put that down…" I urged gently. Macey stood over the sink, a shard of glass she'd broken from the mirror was in her hand. "Macey, please, if they find out we won't get dinner and…"

"You really care about eating that crap they give us" Macey replied numbly, like she was in some kind of trance.

"No, but Liz does, you know she hasn't been able to eat for a week after trying to escape"

Macey dropped the glass and I cringed at the ear splitting crack of shards of glass against the sink. I grasped Macey gently by her scarred wrists and lead her back into the room. That was the thing about this place, if someone did something wrong then they'd punish us all and Macey couldn't bear for Liz to go without food again. She was our sister. We took care of our sisters.

Suddenly Macey had embraced me into a hug. "I'm so sorry Cammie, I'm so, so…"

"Shhh, Macey, It's fine, no harm done, The teachers didn't see, they don't have to know, I'll clean up the glass before they come to check on us"

Macey clung to me firmer.

"It's okay Macey, they have nothing to punish us for today" I told her firmly. I knew I was right. Bex hadn't hit a wall, Liz hadn't tried to escape to find the moon, Macey thankfully hadn't cut herself, nothing could go wrong… I'd thought.

I could see how ashamed Macey was of herself as she fell onto her bed and curled up into a ball but I sighed and sat down on my own bed, knowing Macey would need some alone time.

I leapt up as the door suddenly flew open, but instantly relaxed as Liz's small, frail frame was illuminated in the doorway… but then her expression instantly told me something was wrong.

"Inspection, 5 minutes, Mr Smith!"

Her words her enough to panic all of us, Macey was wiping her tear stained face and had rushed into the bathroom to clear up the glass. She scooped it all up carefully into her hands and threw it out of the window.

"They're going to notice a missing mirror Macey" I rolled my eyes.

"I'll be right back!" Macey panted. "There's a spare room next door, I'll go get the mirror from there!"

"Okay, but hurry!" I pleaded with her.

Even Bex was up from the floor, her ghost friends instantly forgotten in the panic to clear up all her stuff from the floor, not that there was much of it.

Me and Liz glanced at each other rather smugly. We were always the ones who kept our part of the room clean. Underneath the singing to the moon Liz was almost as sane as I was… which was completely sane. But we helped Bex pick up her stuff and cram it into draws because we knew if our room failed the inspection we wouldn't get dinner. Again.

"Someone help me with this!" Macey called from the corridor and we instantly all rushed to help her attach our new mirror to the bathroom wall.

"There, all done" I breathed a sigh of relief as the door then suddenly opened.

"Well, hello girls"

We all tensed.

"Now then, just a room search, nothing to be worry about, if you have nothing to hide" He grinned at us mockingly.

We all smiled back politely, and I felt Liz's hand grip mine tightly.

He searched our beds, under our mattresses, in our underwear draw, not a place in our room was private when Mr Smith did a room inspection.

"Might as well do a physical check while I'm here" He smirked. I felt Macey tense beside me and then I knew. She'd been cutting again. I breathed in deeply and my stomach rumbled indignantly as I knew we'd be getting no food tonight.

"Cameron, you first" He beckoned me over to him and I stood in front of him while he stripped me of my clothes all except my underwear. It used to bother me, sometimes it still did, and I knew it wasn't right, but what was the point in putting up a fight? They would still examine you if you put up a fight but add a punishment too.

"Very well, doesn't look like there's any problems" Mr Smith told me as if I didn't already know, his gaze locking for a moment longer on my wrists which he was used to seeing scared and mattered from other girls, but mine remained perfectly smooth like they always had.

He searched Liz and Bex too. He got a bit pushy with Bex when he saw a scratch on her knee but she claimed she had got it from playing hide and seek with Clarie. Mr Smith smirked at her in a mocking way, he never had any patience with Bex's imaginary ghosts.

He finally came to Macey. "Well well, you've been busy" he mocked her as he stared at her stomach.

"You're meant to be letting a member of staff know when you're in the bathroom, you know that don't you? You know it's meant to help you stop cutting"

"Of course I do" Macey replied sulkily. "But it's fucking degrading having you all peering at me while I take a shower"

Mr Smith raised his eyebrows and the rest of us all inwardly groaned. Macey knew Mr Smith had no patience for swearing.

"What level were you on Ms McHenry?"

We all looked at each other in horror, Macey was on level 5, and she had been so close to getting promoted to level 6 which was the level required to leave this place. Everything we did affected our level. If we were good we got moved up a step closer to escaping this place, if we were bad we got moved down and got our privileges such as hot water and pillows revoked.

Macey seemed to catch on too because she suddenly let out a gasp. "No! You can't drop me a level! I've been doing so well, I only did this because it's the third week my mom hasn't called me, you can't do this!" Macey lightly ran her hand over the three fresh cuts on her stomach.

"I think you'll find I can, and I have" Mr Smith replied coldly. "You know level 4 means you will now have no hot water, and no food tonight for the swearing"

"Fine, just don't punish the other's too, it was my entire fault, please don't punish them too!"

"Sorry McHenry, but you know the rules. Ms Morgan, you were level 3 if I'm not mistaken?"

I nodded numbly. I'd only been there two weeks and so naturally I wasn't on a very high level. The thing was, I kept getting knocked back levels when my roommates did something wrong because of their stupid 'you do something wrong, your whole team suffers' rule. I'd never once done anything wrong myself. And of course, I had no idea why I was here. I knew I wasn't mental, I wasn't mad, I wasn't crazy. I was sane.

"You will be knocked to level two Ms Morgan, no bed covers"

I nodded solemnly and Liz and Bex who were both on the same level as me accepted the same punishment too. Macey shot us a tearful apologetic nod but none of us could look at her, we were all feeling the effects of having no food for over a week now.

"All of you except Macey may now go to dinner"

We stared at him in shock. Usually if one of us was punished we would all be starved for a day, but it seemed he was in a generous mood today, so we quickly ran from the room.

I turned back at the last minute and saw Macey look at me sadly. I shot her a wink to let her know I'd sneak her some food and she gave me a thankful smile.

We practically ran to the food hall, all of us dying to get some food inside us.

"What luck, Mr Solomon's on duty!" Cried Liz excitedly. I immediately cheered up. Mr Solomon on food duty meant double what we would usually get and also it would mean we wouldn't be told to sit in silence. Mr Solomon was the nicest person in this dump.

"Ah girls!" He greeted us cheerfully as we ran into the hall. "I haven't seen you in over a week, you bad girls, I guess you must be starving!" He exclaimed sympathetically. We all nodded keenly as he scooped spoonful's of porridge into bowls.

We ate hungrily, even managing a third helping of food.

"Where's everyone else?" Bex asked, her mouth full of porridge.

"Ah" Mr Solomon hung his head sadly. "Tina was found trying to sneak out and has been held in the basement until further notice, and Eva tried walking through the wall again and so had to be taken to the medical room. I'm going to sneak some food to them later though, the poor girls, speaking of which I'll give you some food to take back to Macey"

We all smiled at him but then our attention turned to Grant who had stood up on the table and had placed a full bowl of porridge over his head. It dribbled down his face. Mr Solomon tutted at him and sent him to get cleaned up before anyone caught his act of madness which would surely earn him a level degrade from any of the other staff.

Suddenly my eyes caught sight of someone else, someone I'd never seen before.

"Who's that?" I whispered to Bex. But she was having a conversation with her spoon which she'd named Katie.

I turned to the saner Liz instead and asked the same question.

"I don't know, I haven't seen him before. What do you think he's in here for?"

I shrugged. It was a little game me and Liz liked to play, we loved wondering what people's pasts were, what they had been chucked in here for.

But I didn't feel like playing that today. I glanced over at the table again, but quickly averted my eyes when I saw him look at me. I wondered why he was sat alone.

"He looks… normal… he reminds me of you when you first got here" I glanced quickly up at Liz, ready to deny it, but then I realised… it was true. I had sat on my own the first night too. I had wondered if I was going to be amongst a load of mad people. I had wondered why I was here. But surely there couldn't be someone else like me here too? Surely it was impossible that there was someone who didn't belong here… who really was sane.

"Well, I need to go and sing to the moon again" Liz got up from her seat.

"Don't be too long Ms Sutton, ten minutes tops, I can't cover for you if you come back late again"

"Sure thing Mr S!" Liz shouted out behind her as she ran into the mansion grounds.

"I'll take the food back to Macey" Bex told me as she too got up to leave.

I was alone with Mr Solomon. And the mysterious boy at the other table. I thought it would be fairly safe to talk.

"Mr Solomon… I was wondering…"

"Not this again Cameron" Mr Solomon snapped at me. I stared at him in shock, I'd never heard him raised his voice before; I thought he'd been the only one I could talk to. I fought with the lump in my throat that threated to escape as a sob.

But then Mr Solomon sighed. "Sorry Cammie, I didn't mean to snap at you, but you know I can't tell you anything"

I smiled at the way Mr Solomon said my name. None of the other staff called me Cammie… but then none of the other staff were quite like Mr Solomon.

"I know you can't tell me why I'm here… but I was wondering if you could tell me how? I mean why the last thing I remember was some kind of massive fire… and then waking up here?"

"I can't tell you Cammie" Mr Solomon looked down at the floor.

"And what about my mom, why has just left me here, you know I'm not like the others, you know I'm not mad!"

"That's what they all say…" Mr Solomon trailed off weakly, but I knew that he knew the truth about me. I could feel myself getting angry.

"Well if I reach level 6 do I get to leave like everyone else? Or am I different in that aspect too?"

"I know you're not mad Cammie… but you're situation is not normal. It's complicated. And I suggest you just forget about…"

"That's a no isn't it" I felt tears prick at my eyes. "Even if I slave away to get to level 6 you won't let me go home… wherever home is…"

"I didn't say that" Mr Solomon wouldn't meet my eyes. "Your circumstances are… difficult"

"Is it that my parents don't want me back? Is that it?" My voice was rising to a dangerous level and Mr Solomon could sense it.

"I think you need to calm down Cammie" Mr Solomon soothed. I caught sight of the new boy who had leaned forward in his seat, obviously listening to our conversation. I could have sworn he smirked. It just made me madder.

"Why will no one believe me?!" I yelled. "I'm not like the rest of them!"

"Do you need some help Mr Solomon?" I froze as I heard Mr Smith's voice from the doorway.

"No thank you Mr Smith" Mr Solomon smiled. "I have Ms Morgan here under control"

"Well don't forget we have therapy in fifteen minutes"

"Of course not" Mr Solomon nodded.

Mr Smith went away muttering about Mr Solomon being 'too soft' with us 'hooligans'.

I looked down at the floor, fighting back the tears.

"I'll be at therapy with all of you today" Mr Solomon said rather shakily. "It won't be too bad"

I nodded but didn't look up. I knew Mr Smith would have it in for me after he'd seen me behaving like that.

"Why don't you take our new boy Zach Goode with you, he doesn't know where everything is yet"

The last thing I wanted was to take the new boy under my wing. But I agreed because I appreciated Mr Solomon covering for me and saying he would punish me himself. When I knew he wouldn't.

I surprised myself then. I hugged him. I felt Mr Solomon hug me back for a second or two but then he pulled back. "You know what Mr Smith would say if he saw that"

"Yeah" I smiled a teary smile. "He would flip out"

"Go on then" Mr Solomon gave me a gentle nudge and beckoned Zach over.

"Zach, this is Cammie, she will show you where to go now"

Zach smirked at me. I gave a weak smile back, too scared about therapy to really look at him properly.

At first we walked together in silence, which to be honest I was fine with, but then he cleared his throat.

"So, _Gallagher Girl_" He spoke as if he were trying it for size.

"I prefer Cammie" I replied coldly.

"No I like Gallagher Girl, it suits you"

"Whatever" I rolled my eyes, really not in the mood to argue.

I half expected him to do something mental. Like suddenly tell me he was off to sing to the moon like Liz, or talk to ghosts like Bex, maybe even self-harm like Macey. But he seemed normal, like me.

"What are you in here for?" I asked curiously.

Zach suddenly looked to the floor. "Probably not the normal reasons… I'm not mental if that's what you're wondering, and I've not got a problem. I'm guessing you're the same, not in here for the usual reasons?"

I nodded.

"Well I guess in a way we are mental"

I looked up at him sharply. "What do you mean"

"Well we're not in here for a holiday" Zach smirked. "And the fact we're in here must make us at least a little bit abnormal"

I had to agree with that. But my mind refused to focus on anything except the fact we were on the way to therapy. My personal hell.

**Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews! Thanks!**


	2. Running

**A/N:**

**Wow, the reviews were amazing! Truly amazing! I can't believe the response I got, thank you so much!**

**A few people asked if it was based on a book named 'Darkest Powers' but I have never read a book called that! It was actually based a lot on the book called 'Sisters in Sanity' but I doubt many have people have read that as it's not that popular. But oh well, I hope you like this anyway! **

**Also I know this is a bit of a strange story! You may be wondering why Cammie is there. You may be wondering why Mr Solomon isn't helping them escape. You may wonder how this is all even legal. You may wonder why the parents haven't realised their children are being basically tortured. You will find out later in the story!**

_Previously: _

_I half expected him to do something mental. Like suddenly tell me he was off to sing to the moon like Liz, or talk to ghosts like Bex, maybe even self-harm like Macey. But he seemed normal, like me._

"_What are you in here for?" I asked curiously._

_Zach suddenly looked to the floor. "Probably not the normal reasons… I'm not mental if that's what you're wondering, and I've not got a problem. I'm guessing you're the same, not in here for the usual reasons?"_

_I nodded._

"_Well I guess in a way we are mental"_

_I looked up at him sharply. "What do you mean"_

"_Well we're not in here for a holiday" Zach smirked. "And the fact we're in here must make us at least a little bit abnormal"_

_I had to agree with that. But my mind refused to focus on anything except the fact we were on the way to therapy. My personal hell._

()()()()

"Fat"

"Ugly"

"Slut"

The insults flew at me. I'm guessing in a usual mental institution therapy would consist of trying to make you feel better about yourself. Not here, here the aim was to make you cry by hurtling insults at you until you started to believe them yourself. Apparently it was to build 'confidence', I thought of it more as trying to degrade us.

"Pig" Mr Solomon said. I knew he was saying it to make me cry so they wouldn't have to punish me physically, but the words still hurt.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes as he threw the insult at me.

"Very well Ms Morgan, you may leave the centre of the circle"

I stood up shakily and made my way back to my chair on the outside.

"Sorry" Mr Solomon whispered from the other side of me. "You know I don't mean it, I just didn't want you to get into trouble"

I nodded to tell Mr Solomon I knew why he'd done it.

"See, don't you feel lots better after that girls?" Mr Smith asked cheerfully.

"Yes" We all chorused dully.

"Ms McHenry, you're up next"

Macey shuffled to the centre on the circle. I knew she was in for a hard time after they'd caught her cutting herself. She knew it too.

"Bitch"

"Snob"

The insults flew at her but she didn't even blink. Macey was strong.

"Emo" I cried out to help her. It was the one insult I knew she would cry at because she'd been called it at her old school when they'd found out about the cutting.

I saw the tears well in her eyes.

"Good one Ms Morgan" Mr Smith praised me but I tensed up as he patted me on the back.

Macey came to sit beside me and she gripped onto my hand tightly. I gripped hers back.

"Thanks" she whispered.

"No problem" I replied sadly.

"You all did well today" Mr Smith congratulated us but no one smiled. "All of you cried at the verbal insults, we didn't even have to go onto the physical" His grip tightened on the whip in his hand and we all tensed.

"I don't think they need to have a night hike tonight Mr Smith, they seem to have done really well in therapy today" I heard Mr Solomon address Mr Smith.

"No Mr Solomon, the night hike is not optional" Mr Smith snapped back. His word was final.

"All except you Ms McHenry" He pulled Macey back to the circle as we all filed out to get ready for the hike.

"Your parents have come for a visit" Mr Smith growled at Macey as if it were her fault. "Remember, if you don't tell them you're improving then you will get no food for a week"

"Yes sir" Macey replied weakly and she trudged off with Mr Smith to meet her parents. I knew that her parents were very wealthy and her mom spent the whole of their visiting sessions just talking about herself and how great life was without Macey with them and how well her dad was doing as Senator so I was sure that even if Macey did tell her mom what was really going on she wouldn't listen.

Me, Liz and Bex dragged our feet along the corridor to our room.

"Walk properly!" I head Madam Dabney order us from the stairs above.

"Yes Miss" We replied meekly and walked with our backs straight.

"That's better. You're lucky I'm not going to tell Mr Smith about how rude you were"

We all exchanged looks. We hadn't said anything rude at all, but we all knew it was better not to upset Madam Dabney and so we carried on the walk to our rooms.

We changed into the warmest clothes that they had given us… which consisted of tracksuit bottoms and a polo shirt.

"We're going to freeze to death" Bex moaned. "And I don't feel well"

I sighed. "I know, this is ridiculous"

We all gathered in the hall.

"What a beautiful night" Mr Smith sighed happily as we walked out into the freezing cold air. I felt the cold bite at my skin.

"Shouldn't they be wearing coats?" Mr Solomon asked.

"We can't afford to provide coats" Mr Smith replied smugly as we ventured into the nearby forest.

I turned to Bex and whispered in her ear. "Bullshit, the coat he's wearing must weigh about one hundred pounds!"

"Quiet Ms Morgan" Mr Smith barked from the front of the group. I rolled my eyes. But then I turned back to Bex, surprised she hadn't laughed at my joke… Bex was usually a giggler. In fact, she looked really pale. I didn't think much of it though, I was sure we were all pale from the chilling air.

About an hour passed and I was surprised we hadn't all caught hyperthermia yet; I was actually relieved to see we were approaching the mansion walls.

"I don't feel so good" I heard Bex whisper to me urgently.

"It's okay, we're almost back now" I reassured her.

"No Cam, you don't understand, I really…"

But I never heard what she really was, because she collapsed in front of me.

"Bex!" I shouted out.

"Ms Morgan!" Mr Smith yelled at me again from the front. "I warned you about talking! Come see me in my office later"

"No sir, you don't understand" I pushed. "It's Bex…"

"I don't care about Bex!" Mr Smith yelled, but he finally turned around and saw Bex collapsed beside me.

He walked over with as much authority as he could master.

"Ms Baxter, get up" He said calmly. "Now!" He began to yell.

I looked at Bex carefully, wondering if she really was faking it. But this was Bex, I was sure she would never do anything to get me into trouble. Then I noticed the way she was clutching her stomach, clearly in agony. Her lips were a deathly blue colour and despite the cold her skin was clammy and a strange grey colour.

"No Mr Smith, she's obviously really sick!" Mr Solomon pushed in front of Mr Smith.

"Bex, can you hear me?" He muttered into her ear gently.

Mr Smith cleared his throat. "You know we don't call them by their first names don't you Mr…"

"Shh!" Mr Solomon waved his opinion away.

"It… It hurts" Bex mumbled.

"I'll call an ambulance" Mr Solomon said urgently. "I think it might be appendicitis, she needs to get to a hospital, now!"

"We have medical help here" Mr Smith grabbed the cell phone from Mr Solomon's hand.

"No!" Mr Solomon yelled back. "She needs a proper hospital with proper help! Do you really want her to die?!"

I heard Bex whimper from the floor. Mr Smith sighed but passed Mr Solomon the cell phone back.

"Ms Morgan don't forget, my office later!" Mr Smith said before he walked off ushering the rest of the group on, including Zach who shot me a sympathetic look and leaving me with Mr Solomon and a semi-conscious Bex.

I was about to protest that I hadn't done anything wrong but Mr Solomon laid a warning hand on my shoulder and I felt myself calm down at his gentle touch.

Mr Solomon spoke on the phone to the ambulance crew and did as they said until we could finally hear the sound of sirens.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked the paramedic urgently.

"Yes, you called us just in time, any later and it may have been too late"

I shuddered.

"Speaking of which, what do they get fed here?" He asked Mr Solomon. "They're both dangerously skinny, and they shouldn't be out here without a coat, they're freezing"

"Oh, well this is a mental institution" Mr Solomon worded carefully. "The girls here need help. And as for the coats, they don't own any"

The man nodded, unconvinced, but a cry of pain from Bex reminded him of the job at hand.

"I'll go with Bex" Mr Solomon told me gently.

I nodded and then realisation dawned on me. Mr Solomon was going to leave me out here alone, outside the Gallagher walls.

Mr Solomon must have seen me give the road that ran alongside the school a longing look because he added "And don't do anything stupid, you know they'll find you"

I sighed, but then nodded. I did know, it had been tried before.

I began the walk back to the mansion but something made me stop. Sure, people had tried to run away before and not once had they got away. But I wasn't them. I wasn't mental. I took one last look at the mansion. Then I ran in the opposite direction.

**Zammie coming up in the next chapter, don't worry!**

**Also I don't want to spoil the next chapter but don't worry, she hasn't got away yet, I still have loads to write about life in the Gallagher Academy mental institution!**

**Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews! Thanks!**


	3. Weakness

**A/N:**

**Still getting some great reviews, thank you!**

_Previously: _

_I began the walk back to the mansion but something made me stop. Sure, people had tried to run away before and not once had they got away. But I wasn't them. I wasn't mental. I took one last look at the mansion. Then I ran in the opposite direction._

()()()()

The air didn't feel cold anymore; it felt refreshing as it whipped against my skin. It wasn't long before I felt out of breath; I put it down to lack of food as I felt myself slow down.

"Wow, for a moment there I thought you'd never stop running"

I tried to spin around quickly to face the voice that I knew belonged to the new boy Zach, but the dizziness and tiredness overcame me and I felt myself collapse on the floor.

"Why are you following me?" I muttered.

Zach walked closer to me; he looked like he'd just stepped out of a shampoo advert even though he must have been running after me.

"Why did you follow me?" I asked again.

"Because I thought I should stop you doing anything stupid"

I turned my face away from him.

"Come on Cammie" Zach sighed and he sat down on the ground next to me. "You're not stupid; you know you can't run away from this place"

"I'm near the road now" I replied obstinately. "Why the hell would I go back?"

Zach raised his eyebrows and glanced behind him. I felt my heart sink. I hadn't run as far as I'd originally thought, in fact, I was only a few minutes away from the school. I was weaker than I'd thought.

I felt something brush against my hand and it was a while until I realised Zach was holding my hand. And that I was crying.

"Hey, it will be okay" Zach's thumb brushed gently over the top of my hand.

"If I go back, they're going to hurt me" I felt weak saying it. "I need to get out of there why I still have a chance" I pulled my hand away from Zach's and managed to get to my feet, swaying slightly.

"Yeah, and what about when they find you? They'll hurt you. More. You know you don't stand a chance Gallagher Girl"

I looked down at the floor. Somewhere in the back of my mind I did know. I looked up at the school that was just a couple of yards away from me and the small distance I'd covered in such a long amount of time.

"It will be okay" Zach murmured. I fought back the tears as I let Zach lead me back to the Gallagher Academy.

"How did you get out?" I asked suddenly.

"It's really not that hard if you know where to go and where to avoid" Zach replied smugly.

"Oh, I didn't realise you were such an expert" I rolled my eyes.

"You know, we're going to be in so much trouble" I felt my hands tremble.

"It's cool, we just say they took ages to get Bex in the ambulance, no big deal" Zach smirked as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"You never told me why you're here" I said suddenly.

"You never told me why you are either"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know"

"What do you mean?" Zach asked curiously.

"I mean I don't know why I'm here!" I snapped.

"How can you not know?" Zach didn't seem to catch the warning note in my voice as he continued to question me.

"Look Zach, the last thing I remember was being in school, it was a normal day, my mom had just dropped me off, then all I remember is fire… then I woke up here, no one will tell me what's happening"

Zach looked down at his feet.

"Do you know anything?"

Zach looked up and studied my face for a minute before he rolled his eyes and said "Of course not, don't be stupid"

I glared at him, but then carried on walking back to the hell hole.

()()()()

"And where have you two been?"

"I went back to help Mr Solomon with Bex" Zach replied politely.

"Very well, you may go to your room now Mr Goode"

Zach didn't move.

"Mr Goode, I suggest you get to your room now" Mr Smith's voice held a note of impatience.

"But Cammie was with me; surely she can go back to her room too?" Zach asked politely, but I heard the anger in his voice.

"I'm afraid not, Cammie is coming to my office to be punished for talking earlier" Mr Smith was starting to get worked up.

"It's fine Zach, I'll be fine" I reassured him. Zach shot me a few guilty looks, but then he walked back to his room.

"Well then Ms Morgan I guess it's time to accept your punishment" Mr Smith grinned at me.

He began pulling me through the mansion roughly, his hands digging painfully into my wrists.

"Verbal abuse doesn't seem to have much effect on you does it?" He asked. But I knew it was a rhetorical question.

He pushed me roughly into his office and I almost stumbled over. Suddenly he'd pushed me against the wall and I felt my head hit a shelf. Before I had a chance to cry out in pain I lifted my hand to the back of my head and felt my eyes widen at the blood now coating my hand.

Mr Smith began pacing the room.

"I don't know what to do with you Ms Morgan…" He paused for effect.

"How about telling me why I'm here?" I interrupted rudely, something I was sure I would have to pay for later. "You know I'm not like the others, you know I'm normal"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that with you Ms Morgan" Mr Smith snapped back.

"Why the hell not!" I yelled. "It's my damn life!"

I winced as his hand flew against my cheek.

"Enough Ms Morgan!" He screamed at me. "I have no idea why the hell you're here either, all I know is your mom didn't want you and so she paid us extra to take you! I…" He paused as he realised he'd said too much. But my eyes were suddenly full of tears.

"You're a liar!" I yelled. "My mom loves me, I'm in here by mistake! I remember her loving me, I just don't remember…"

"…Why you're here" Mr Smith snapped. "Surely that's reason enough to be here in itself. Maybe you are a nutcase after all, just like the rest of them!"

"You're meant to be helping them" I crossed my arms against my chest. "You're meant to help them and you're making them worse!"

"Says you!" Mr Smith retorted. "A moody teenage girl with no idea about real life. I'm helping these people, and they'll realise in the future…"

"You're disgusting" I spat at him. "You know what you're doing, you're horrible"

The next slap around my face was harder than the last. My hand instantly flew up to my throbbing cheek.

"Shut up!" Mr Smith yelled. And then he smirked. "Just because your own mother doesn't want you, don't blame me for your problems"

My eyes filled with tears again and Mr Smith turned away from me, content with his work.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"One minute!" Mr Smith was suddenly panicked as he looked at me.

"Go into the bathroom and clean yourself up" He spat.

"Why don't you want Mr Solomon to find out you hit me?" It was my turn to smile manipulatively at him.

"If he finds out it will be your neck on the line" He growled at me. I gave him one last look of utter contempt before I disappeared into the bathroom.

I looked in the mirror and stared at my face in shock. My cheek was a bright red, so red that I was sure it would bruise. I found some foundation. I was then sure that hundreds of girls had been in my position before, so many times that he even felt the need to keep foundation in his bathroom for emergencies such as these. For unexpected visits when he was beating up girls.

I squirted some foundation out the tube and wiped it over my red cheek. Even the thick makeup couldn't cover it properly but that was Mr Smith's fault for hitting me. As I was placing the makeup back in the cabinet I felt my fingers brush against a piece of paper.

I pulled it out instantly, my heart thudding. I told myself not to be so stupid; it was probably just the label of something. I opened the scrunched up piece of paper. It was old, very old. Neat calligraphy was scrawled over it and I struggled to read it.

"Hurry up in there!" I heard Mr Smith shout.

"Okay! I'm almost done!" I shouted back, but I knew my voice was too high.

I strained my eyes at the words written on the paper, and I was finally able to understand what it said. I could have sworn my heart stopped.

_Get out of here as soon as you possibly can, before it's too late, like it is for me._

I struggled to read the signature but finally I could make out the curvy letters that said: _Gillian._

At first I laughed to myself. How strange someone would leave a note in there, and it was obviously years old, centuries even. I was stupid to even look at it, to even believe it, but something made me put it into my pocket.

I stalked back out into the room where Mr Solomon and Mr Smith were deep in conversation.

"Is Bex okay?" I asked immediately.

"It was nearly too late, but she'll be fine, the operation was successful, she won't be coming back though"

"What?" I asked in panic. Bex was one of the sisters.

"Her parents decided to withdraw her from Gallagher. They weren't very happy with how skinny Bex was" Mr Solomon shot Mr Smith a look.

"They're also launching an investigation into Gallagher" Mr Solomon looked down at the floor and I couldn't help but feel a pang of anger. Why was Mr Solomon working in this place? Why wouldn't he help us? Why couldn't he see what this place was doing to us? He was meant to be the good guy.

"Well then this place will get shut down" I replied in a monotone.

"No, no it won't!" Mr Smith was across the room and up in my face in an instant, I could tell he was refraining himself from hitting me again. "When the investigation takes place we will change a few of our activities and food for the day"

"And what makes you think we'll all go along with your plan to deceive everyone about what this school is really doing to us" I hissed.

"You will Ms Morgan" I glared at Mr Solomon in shock as he spoke, but he wasn't looking at me. "You will do as Mr Smith says, tomorrow when they launch the investigation we will be holding normal classes like any other school, therapy will be… altered, you will say this place is changing you for the better. Do you understand Ms Morgan?"

I turned away from Mr Solomon in disgust.

"I said do you understand?!" Mr Solomon raised his voice again.

"Yes!" I replied in exasperation. What choice did I have? I was pretty sure Mr Smith would hunt me to the ends of the earth if I messed up his stupid inspection.

"Cam…" Mr Solomon started to say my name, but quickly changed his mind when Mr Smith shot him a look. "Ms Morgan, what happened to your head?"

My hand flew up to the back of my head when I felt the dry blood and I swore under my breath. I'd completely forgotten about that in my panic to read the stupid note I'd found.

"She fell" Mr Smith lied smoothly. "I told her she should go to the infirmary but she refused"

"Would you like me to take you?" Mr Solomon asked kindly.

"No" I replied haughtily. "I'm fine"

"Okay, well go back to your room and tell Liz and Macey that Bex is going to be fine, I'm sure they're really worried"

I nodded.

"And don't forget to tell them about the inspection, I will be putting up a schedule of the day's change in events tomorrow morning"

"Right" I replied curtly as I stepped out the door.

I immediately felt the tears that I'd been fighting back for hours obscure my eyes. I ran my hand along the cold stone walls until I found the one stone that stuck out at an odd angle. I pushed down on it and stepped into the dark secret passageway.

It was only when I let the passageway door close behind me that I felt free to be weak and cry. I cried for Bex in hospital, I cried for the pain I was feeling in my head and where I'd been hit around the face, I cried about the note that I felt rustling in my pocket. I sat down on the cold floor and curled my legs up to my chest.

"You like to have some place you can escape to too then?"

I immediately leapt up at the sound of the voice and wiped away the tears.

"Who the hells there?" I yelled into the back of the secret passageway.

"It's just Zach" I heard someone coming closer.

"Just stay away from me" I warned.

"Hey, I'm not the bad guy" He replied defensively.

"How long were you just sitting there listening to me?!" I asked angrily. It made my blood boil to know someone had been listening to me being so weak.

I shuddered as his warm hands clasped around mine. "Long enough to know that you're hurting"

I was lost for words but then he withdrew from me and I heard a click of a light switch. I blinked stupidly in the blinding light.

"I didn't know there was a light in here" I said dumbly.

"Well we don't all like to sit in the dark" He said softly as he came back over to me and took my hands again. I contemplated snatching them out of his grasp, but as much as I hated to admit it they felt nice on my frozen fingers.

Suddenly Zach was touching my face, but not in a caring way, he looked livid.

"Who did this to you?!" He asked angrily. It was a while before I realised he was talking about my red cheek. The foundation must have come off.

I turned away from him.

"This isn't a holiday you know" I said using his own words against him. "I thought you would have guessed what they're doing to us"

Zach didn't reply, instead his hand was brushing through my hair. I winced as his hand gently touched the back of my head when I'd collided with the shelf. I felt Zach's hand flex in anger.

"Mr Smith did this to you?" He asked. But I knew it wasn't a question.

"Obviously" I sniffed. "Mr Smith is a physco"

"And Mr Solomon didn't stop him?" Zach asked thoughtfully.

"Of course not Zach, Mr Solomon knows what goes on here, he's not blind, he's as bad as the rest of them"

Zach suddenly seemed angry again… at me. "No" He said haughtily. "Mr Solomon's not like the others, he's not. I know Mr Solomon would never let Mr Smith hit you, and if you'd told him he would have gone mental at Mr Smith"

"Why would he?" I shrugged. "It's not like I'm anything special, to them I'm just another nutcase.

Zach sighed in exasperation. "Oh come on Gallagher Girl, are you really that stupid?! You said yourself you're not like the others"

"Mr Smith said my mom paid them extra to take me" I choked.

Zach rolled his eyes again. "Sometimes I do wonder if you're as stupid as the others! Honestly Gallagher Girl, open your eyes, it's obvious to see what's going on!"

"Not to me!" I replied defensively. "Go on; tell me why I'm in here then"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough, you don't need me to tell you. I think deep down you know"

Before I could demand an explanation Zach was gone.

I felt my eyes tear up again.

"Stupid Zach" I cursed him under my breath. "It's not bloody obvious; I have no idea why I'm in this hell hole"

I turned off the light again and cried.

**Just encase anyone is feeling a little confused about Mr Solomon and why sometimes he's nice and sometimes he's not… don't worry, you'll find out in a few chapters time! **

**Coming up in the next chapter: More Zammie, the inspection, and Cammie is still trying to find out why she's there and Zach's involvement.**

**Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews! Thanks!**


	4. Commitment

**A/N:**

**I'm not too happy with this chapter if I'm honest… It's a bit of a filler but I had to explain a few things, so I put some Zammie in there too to make it hopefully more interesting! Anyway, I'm working on the next chapter at the moment and that one's got way more action and Zammie, so bear with me!**

**Thank you for the reviews, I've had such great feedback.**

_Previously: _

_Zach rolled his eyes again. "Sometimes I do wonder if you're as stupid as the others! Honestly Gallagher Girl, open your eyes, it's obvious to see what's going on!"_

"_Not to me!" I replied defensively. "Go on; tell me why I'm in here then"_

"_Oh, you'll find out soon enough, you don't need me to tell you. I think deep down you know"_

_Before I could demand an explanation Zach was gone._

_I felt my eyes tear up again._

"_Stupid Zach" I cursed him under my breath. "It's not bloody obvious; I have no idea why I'm in this hell hole"_

_I turned off the light again and cried._

()()()()

"You will all be sleeping with pillows and bed covers tonight" Madam Dabney told us as she inspected our room that night.

"Why?" Asked Macey.

"Because of the inspection tomorrow" Madam Dabney replied exasperated.

I raised my eyebrows at Macey. I'd already told her how we had to fake how great this place was.

Madam Dabney continued to fuss around our room, even positioning flowers on the cabinets to 'brighten the place up'.

"Remember, up at six tomorrow morning and then straight to breakfast" Madam Dabney ordered. "After that you will go to check the new activities board in the hall where you will be told where to go next, do I make myself clear? No messing this up" She growled.

"Yes miss" We replied meekly as she swept out the door.

I fell back onto the unusually soft bed and sighed.

"We can't let this opportunity escape" I said decisively. "This inspection is a chance for the outside world to see what this place is really like"

"Cammie, I know it's hard for you not knowing why you're in here, but really, what can we do? The inspectors won't believe anything we say they'll think we're exaggerating" Macey's voice suddenly hardened. "Like everyone else"

"It didn't go well with your parents then?" I asked.

Macey laughed sarcastically. "Of course it didn't, I told them how well I'd been doing and how I was well enough to go home now, but of course my mom wouldn't listen and Mr Smith said I still had lots of improving to do and showed them my stomach where I'd cut myself the other day. Of course that shocked them and so they asked him to 'carry on the good work'"

I was only half listening. I had withdrawn the note from earlier from my pocket and I was reading it again, looking for any hidden clues. Then I saw a drop of blood that stained the paper. My heart thudded under the new thick jumpers we'd all been given.

"Macey" I interrupted her rant. "Liz" I added. "I think something strange is going on here, and I don't think we should chance staying here any longer"

"What's that you have there Cam?" Macey asked as I put the note back in my pocket.

"Nothing" I lied. I was determined not to scare Macey and Liz.

"Fine" Macey replied exasperated, she hated being kept out of the loop and I knew she was itching to snatch the paper out of my pocket. "What's your plan?"

I sat up on my bed thoughtfully.

"I have nothing" I sighed. "I need the night to think things over…"

"Fine, well let us know when you come up with an ingenious plan to get us out of here" Macey rolled her eyes and I knew she was still angry I wouldn't show her the paper.

Liz was more supportive. "I trust you Cam, I know you'll get us out of here" She smiled encouragingly.

I smiled back, trying to fight the guilt at not telling them about the note, but Liz's pale and innocent face told me I was doing the right thing, I knew she couldn't handle something like this.

()()()()

That night I couldn't sleep. I tried to think of plans to escape, but my thoughts seemed to go around in a continuous circle. After I'd thought of about twenty plans but then aborted them all, my mind came to rest on one last option. One option that was risky but at the same time sure to work.

()()()()

"Cam get up!" Macey yelled, we're late!

I groaned, my head felt groggy and I was sure I was still half asleep. Then Macey's words sunk in.

"Shit!" I groaned as I leapt out of bed. "How late are we?"

Macey was running around the room in a panic. "Half an hour late!"

I groaned louder. We were in so much trouble.

"I can't get put down another level Cam" Macey sobbed. "I just can't, I'm so near getting out of this place"

"Why didn't Liz wake us up?!" I asked angrily, glancing at her empty bed that had already been made.

"I have no idea, but I'm going to kill her!" Macey replied.

We chucked clothes on manically and I was sure half of what I was wearing was inside out.

We ran for our lives down the corridors towards the food hall. "They're going to kill us, its inspection day as well; they're really going to kill us!" Macey panted.

We skidded to a stop outside the closed doors of the food hall. We looked at each other in confusion. Either we were going mad (Which was likely) or there was… music playing.

"Is that… classical music… coming from the hall?" Macey asked in shock.

"I… think so" I replied uncertainly.

I pushed open the door, preparing myself for the wrath of ten angry staff.

"Ah Cammie, Macey, where have you been?!" Someone cried out curiously. Not angrily.

"I'm… so sorry… Mr Smith" I said weakly. "I'm so…"

I paused as I took in the sight of the food hall. Vases of flowers had been placed on the tables, the normally boarded up windows had been uncovered and beautiful stain glass windows let in the bright light from outside.

I looked back at Mr Smith who was actually smiling. "Oh Cammie, don't be silly, there's plenty of food left, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to deduct a star from both your chart's which means no TV for a week"

I stared at him. Since when had we had a star chart? And Since when had we had a TV?!

"Oh…" Was all I could say, lost for words.

"Cammie, come and meet Mr Jones, our inspector" Mr Smith gestured to the man standing closely behind him, obviously listening to our conversation.

"Oh… Urm…" I stuttered stupidly as Mr Jones came towards me and held out his hand for me to shake, giving me a dazzling smile.

"Sorry about Cameron, she's very shy" Mr Smith shot me a warning glare. Luckily Macey stepped in.

"Hello Mr Jones, lovely to meet you" She shoved me gently out the way and greeted Mr Jones. He smiled at her.

"Hello… Macey, is it?" he asked politely, and very slowly, as if he were speaking to a five year old.

"Yes, Macey" She replied.

"Well, I don't want to keep you from breakfast as you're late already, why don't you go and enjoy your food" He grinned.

"Yes, thank you" She replied as she started walking to the tables, dragging me with her. I glanced back at Mr Smith who was watching me. He glanced at Mr Jones and around the room to check no one was looking and then he made a throat cutting action against his own throat. That was when I realised I would be paying for being late after the inspectors left. I gulped.

We sat down at the nearest table where Tina was eagerly talking to a young woman who I also guessed was an inspector.

I stared at the food on the table. Croissants were piled up high on plates along with bread roles and cereal. I'd never seen so much food before. I may have been confused, but I wasn't stupid so I immediately tucked into the food hungrily, savouring the opportunity.

"And what movies do they let you watch?" The woman was asking Tina.

"Oh… just Disney movies of course" She replied hesitantly "Nothing bad." I was sure she'd never seen a movie in her life.

"And what do you think of the classical music they play you in the mornings to keep you calm for the rest of the day?" She asked Macey.

"Oh, it's great, it really does relax us" Macey mumbled through her mouth full of croissant.

I noticed Liz who was sat at the table next to us. I slipped over to her.

"What happened Liz? Why didn't you wake us?" I asked angrily.

"Oh Cam, I'm so sorry! The moon was still out so I went to go and sing and then Mr Smith found me and…" She paused and looked down at the table. I noticed Mr Jones hovering nearby, listening to our conversation. I looked at Liz closer. It was then that I noticed the black rimming her eye and the foundation line where she'd tried to cover it up. I clenched my fists under the table.

"Mr Smith did that to you?" I tried to ask calmly.

"Shh!" Liz whispered as she glanced worriedly up at Mr Jones.

"Liz, this is ridiculous, they can't do this us!" I knew my voice was rising to a dangerous level, but I had no intention of stopping it.

"Cam, please, don't get yourself into trouble" Liz pleaded.

I exhaled slowly and felt my body relax.

"It didn't hurt, not really" Liz whispered.

My fists stayed clenched under the table. I suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore.

After everyone had eaten we all filed out to go and look at the notice board.

"Therapy's been replaced with lessons" I whispered to Macey.

"And the night hike has been replaced with afternoon games" Macey whispered back.

We all had personalised timetables and to my utter horror I realised I had Maths first… with Mr Smith.

The lessons passed fairly uneventfully.

Mr Smith would ask us maths questions, no one would answer, and then he'd move onto the next one. I knew all the answers. But I wasn't going to help Mr Smith out.

Mr Jones sat at the back of the class the whole time, writing notes on his clip board. Mr Smith shot him worried glances all the time.

"Well, what did you think of the lesson?" I heard Mr Smith ask Mr Jones worriedly at the end of the lesson.

"I think it seemed to go fairly well, but I think we need to give you an easier syllabus, it seemed as if none of the pupils knew the answers"

"Excuse me miss!" I turned round as Mr Jones beckoned me over.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Did you know the answers to the questions Mr Smith was asking you?"

I glanced up at Mr Smith who shot me a pleading look, but behind the look I saw the threat of a punishment if I didn't answer Mr Jones.

"Yes, I did" I said.

"Then why didn't you answer?" Mr Jones asked me kindly.

"I…" I looked down at the floor. "I'm just shy, I guess"

"Well maybe we could arrange for you to have therapy to get over your shyness?" Mr Jones offered.

I was certain he didn't see me shiver at the mention of therapy. But Mr Smith did.

"Oh, we already offer therapy, but we cancelled that today as we thought it would be best for you to see us doing our lessons rather than that kind of stuff"

"Very well" Mr Jones nodded. "Off you go Cammie to your next lesson"

The day couldn't go fast enough. I felt like I was going to explode by the end of it, and that wasn't just because I'd eaten more food today than I had in the past three weeks. It was mainly because I wanted to speak to Zach.

"Hey, Zach!" I called out after him before dinner.

"What is it Gallagher Girl" Zach seemed wary, almost as if he knew what I was going to ask.

"Zach, I think you should see this, I found it in Mr Smith's room after he… hit me"

I handed him the note and I watched as his face turned from wary to amused.

"Oh Cammie, you do know this is nothing but a note from someone who was probably mental don't you?" Zach laughed. I frowned angrily.

"But Zach, there's blood on it, I…"

"Cammie!" Zach grabbed my hands. I felt the familiar warm sensation fill my body. "This is just an old note from some messed up teenager, have you forgotten where we are?"

I looked down at the floor.

"So, what were you going to ask me?"

"I was… going to ask… if you'd help us escape" I replied glumly. It sounded stupid now, impossible. Just as I'd thought Zach laughed again.

"Cammie, I'm not going to help you escape just so you can get caught again and punished"

"But, if you helped us, we wouldn't get caught" I expected Zach to laugh at me again but his face was deadly serious.

"You still don't get it, do you? It's safer for you in here than it is for you out there"

"How is it safer?!" I replied exasperated. "I'm pretty sure there aren't maniacs out there who would hit me as a punishment"

"Aren't there?" Zach asked.

"Zach" I laughed. "Stop being stupid, of course there's not, my mom's out there, this is all a massive misunderstanding, she's probably trying to find me right now and…"

"Cammie, where's your dad?"

Zach's question caught me off guard. I felt the familiar tears well up in my eyes.

"I know about your dad Cammie" Zach couldn't look at me anymore and he dropped his gaze to the floor. I felt my eyes widen.

"Who the hell are you?!" I yelled suddenly. "How the hell do you know about my dad?!"

"Calm down, and I'll explain!" Zach pleaded. I tried to steady myself.

"I know more about you than you think Cammie. I know about your dad, I know about your mom, I know about your old school and I know why you're in here"

"Then tell me!" I chocked on my words. I was pleading with him now. "Tell me!"

Zach shook his head slowly. "I think you know the truth now, don't you"

"No" I whispered. "No it can't be…"

"Yes" Zach interrupted me. "It is."

I looked into Zach's eyes, pleading for him to explain.

"I know your mom's a spy. I know your dad's a spy. I know your dad is missing in action. I know your mom is headmistress of Blackthorne School for spies and that you went to school there… because I went there too. And finally, I know why you're here, because I'm here for the same reason. We can't leave Cammie, because there are people out there who are trying to kill us and will do way worse stuff than they do in here. There are people out there who make what happens in here look like child's play. Your mom sent you here to protect you; she offered them extra money to take you. She knew you'd be safe here because it's a mental institution, the last place The Circle would come looking for you" Zach looked at the floor again. "And it's the last place they'd come looking for me too, especially as my mom's the leader"

I frowned. Zach knew everything about me, but yet it felt like I knew hardly anything about him. "So your mom's the leader of the organisation trying to kill me?" I asked calmly.

"Yes" Zach shrugged.

"And my mom thought the best place for me would be with that woman's son?"

Zach suddenly looked into my eyes again. "Don't you trust me Cammie? Don't you trust that I'm the good guy? That I have nothing but pure hate for my mom?"

"Why should I?!" I asked. "You've been lying to me all this time" But I did believe him. He must be in as much danger as me to have to be sent to this place, and I guessed that being the son of a terrorist group made you pretty high up on their target list, behind me… Although of course I had no idea what it was they wanted with me.

Zach shook his head viciously. "Not lying… just the abridged truth"

"Oh, because that makes it so much better" I replied sarcastically. "So this fire I remember, that was the circle attacking Blackthorne wasn't it? Then my mom erased my memory so she could send me here"

"Look Cammie, I'm only telling you this so you know that your mom is doing this to protect you"

"So she sends me to a mental institution where they hit you and abuse you?!" My eyes teared up.

"She doesn't know that it's like this" Zach replied defensively. "But she thought you'd be strong enough to overcome it rather than run away from it"

"But she doesn't know what It's like!" I sobbed. "I want to go home"

"I know you do" Zach soothed. "But home isn't safe right now"

"And when will it be safe?" I whispered.

"I don't know… not for a while"

"How come I had my memory erased and you didn't?" I asked suddenly.

Zach grinned. "You don't think your mom would send you away unprotected did you?"

I snorted. "So she asked you to look after me?"

Zach smirked. "Something like that… she paid for me to come here too y'know, so I could be safe, I owe her my life"

I nodded.

Zach looked away again. "I know I haven't done a great job so far at looking after you… but I hope I haven't done too badly"

I smiled. "Well, I'm not dead yet"

"Not yet" Zach agreed. "But I'll look after you more from now on, I promise"

"I don't need babysitting Zach" I sighed.

"I know, but Mr Smith has it in for you, he's not allowed to do too much though because he needs the money your mom gives him to keep this place running, he knows if she found out what this place is really like she wouldn't pay him anything"

"So why here?" I asked.

"Have you not seen this place? It's the last place the circle would expect you to be and if they ever did suspect, then security here would be far too good for them to get through"

"I thought Blackthorne was meant to have good security?" I asked puzzled. "It is a school for spies afterall"

"Well it does, but the circle knew you were there, they have no idea you're here"

"Yet"

"Yet…" Zach agreed. "It's just until your mom can upgrade security and get you back safely"

I sighed and nodded.

"And of course there's Mr Solomon!" Zach smirked.

"What?" I frowned.

Zach rolled his eyes as if he thought I were the least intelligent person in the world. "You won't remember because you had a lot of your memory from the past year erased, but Mr Solomon worked at Blackthorne. He got a job here so he could watch over you"

"So that's why he's nicer than the other staff! And that's also why he wants me to stay"

"Yep" Zach replied.

It was nice to know how much my mom cared. The least I owed her was to stay here.

"If she knew you were being hurt here, she would take you away immediately you know"

"Well then she won't find out" I gritted my teeth. Zach seemed to stare at me with some new found admiration.

"You'd put up with being hurt just so the circle don't find you?" Zach asked astonished.

"Of course" I shrugged. "If it's to protect my mom and the rest of the school… I'm guessing they didn't all make it out of the fire alive"

"No" Zach shook his head sadly. He looked like he was about to say something, but then stopped himself.

"Why did I never see you at Blackthorne?" I asked curiously.

Zach shrugged. "We were in different lessons, different friendship groups and besides, I only joined last year so I would have been erased from your memory"

I don't actually know quite how what happened next happened. One minute we were a metre away from each other, the next I was kissing Zach and I was being held tightly in his arms. As a spy, I couldn't help but notice that the kiss lasted 3 minutes and 45 seconds. As a girl I couldn't help but notice the way Zach's body shaped around mine, the way his warm breath joined with mine, the way he was perfect.

"Hey!" Me and Zach pulled apart and turned to face a furious Mr Smith. "I think you two need to get to my office. Now!"

**So now you know Cammie and Zach's backstory and all about Mr Solomon etc… so now I can get onto the more action-based stuff in the next chapter!**

**Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews! Thanks!**


	5. Confusion

**A/N:**

**I'm SO sorry! I was meant to update a week ago but I had some trouble with this chapter. Thanks so much for bearing with me, I hope you enjoy it! I LOVE your reviews thank you so much!**

_Previously:_

_I don't actually know quite how what happened next happened. One minute we were a metre away from each other, the next I was kissing Zach and I was being held tightly in his arms. As a spy, I couldn't help but notice that the kiss lasted 3 minutes and 45 seconds. As a girl I couldn't help but notice the way Zach's body shaped around mine, the way his warm breath joined with mine, the way he was perfect._

"_Hey!" Me and Zach pulled apart and turned to face a furious Mr Smith. "I think you two need to get to my office. Now!"_

()()()()

We walked in front of Mr Smith in silence, knowing it was best not to upset him.

"Well, Mr Goode" Mr Smith started as soon as we were in his office. "It's not the first time I've caught you in this position, is it?"

I frowned, completely confused by what Mr Smith was saying. Mr Smith seemed to notice the change in my expression and suddenly his face turned from a grimace to a smug smile.

"Oh, don't you know Cammie? Don't you know about what else Zach has done?"

I stared at Zach, but he wasn't looking at me.

"No" I whispered, scared of the answer.

"I caught him kissing Macey earlier, so it looks like your little romance was short lived" Mr Smith's cruel smirk sent shivers down my spine. But I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"Funny joke Mr Smith" I laughed at him again. His expression turned to one of amusement.

I felt my heart sink. "No… No, you're lying!" I struggled to keep my voice level.

I turned to look at Zach. Either there was something amazingly interesting on the floor or… he couldn't bear to look at me.

"So you're not even going to explain to Cammie why you did it?" Mr Smith pushed, clearly loving the situation. I hated giving him the satisfaction of seeing me upset, but I couldn't help it, it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach.

Zach ignored Mr Smith's question and continued to stare at the floor.

"Very well, Cammie you seem to have been punished enough" He glanced at me gleefully, probably rejoicing in the fact I was almost crying without him being the cause of it.

"Zach, why don't you stay behind and we can think of an extra punishment for you, we can't have you going around kissing every girl in this place can we? I'm thinking a night in the basement will suffice?" Mr Smith glanced at me. "Unless you have any objections Cammie, if you want you can spend the night in there with him?"

"No" My voice was nothing more than a whisper. I looked up at Zach and to my surprise he was looking at me now. He didn't even look apologetic… in fact, was he… smiling?! "Zach deserves everything he gets" I gritted my teeth. "I don't care what the hell you do to him"

I fled from the room before Zach had a chance to smirk at me anymore.

To say I didn't understand was an understatement. I was sure the Zach in that room wasn't the same one I'd been talking to moments before, one who I'd shared my past with, the one who knew all about me, the one who told me about his mother, the one who I'd kissed… but Mr Smith couldn't have made up a lie that good and Zach would have denied it. But he didn't. Which meant he'd kissed Macey.

()()()()

"Oh, Hi Cam!"

I groaned inwardly. "Why aren't you at dinner Macey?"

"I could ask you the same thing?" She raised her eyebrows.

_Oh, I've just been listening to Mr Smith torture me by saying you'd kissed Zach._

"I was just talking to Mr Smith" I shrugged and fell back onto my bed.

Macey's eyes widened. "What about?"

"Nothing" I snapped. Macey seemed to get the message and she took a step away.

I sighed. I knew it wasn't Macey's fault. She and Zach had been the first ones to kiss; I hadn't even liked him when that had happened. It wasn't Macey's fault.

"Sorry Macey, I didn't mean to snap at you"

"It's fine" She smiled. "So are you going to tell me what's up?"

"Macey, you'd tell me if you liked a guy wouldn't you? If you liked one of the guys in here?" I asked casually.

Her lips remained straight but I could sense something change in her eyes. "Of course!" She sounded offended. "You know I tell you, Liz and Bex everything"

I sighed in defeat. "Of course you do"

I could see she was dying to push me further and ask what the hell I was going on about but she managed to refrain herself.

"So Cam, what's your plan of action to get us out of here?" She grinned in anticipation. I froze. I though back to my conversation with Zach, and although I hated to admit it he had been right. My mom had sent me here to stay safe, she'd paid extortionate amounts just so I could even come here, and I owed her.

"Sorry Macey, but it's impossible" I shrugged and looked down at the floor. "We can't get out of here"

I saw a tear form behind Macey's eye. "It's fine, I'm sure we'll find a way soon" She smiled at me eagerly. I gave a small nod, ignoring the stab of guilt.

"So, shall we go to dinner? We might get a few of the leftovers and the inspectors are here so they can't yell at us for being late!"

I gave a small laugh. "Okay, let's go" I agreed.

()()()()

We knew something was wrong as soon as we saw that the grand hall was empty.

"Oh crap" Macey whispered. "What do you thinks happened?"

"We passed!" Me and Macey both jumped about five feet into the air.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" Mr Smith pretended he was guilty, but we could both see the contempt behind the look.

"What happened to… dinner?" Macey whispered.

"Well I am glad to see that you and Macey are still friends after everything that's happened" He sneered, and I knew he obviously wasn't happy about it at all.

"What do you… Ouch!" Macey cried as I elbowed her sharply in the ribs as an indication to shut up. It wasn't the right time to explain.

"Well like I said, we passed the inspection, the inspectors have gone now, and because we spent so much money on providing you with Breakfast and Lunch to put on a show with the examiners we won't be giving you food until the weekend"

Me and Macey looked down at the floor.

"So, in place of dinner, I thought we would have some extra counselling sessions, and as you two were late, you can be in the middle!" Mr Smith cried happily as he pushed us down the corridor to the counselling room.

I noticed Mr Solomon was sat at the edge of the circle. Everyone else was quiet; it was obvious Mr Smith had been waiting for us.

"Cammie, would you like to go first?" He asked. I knew it wasn't a question.

I shrugged to show I wasn't really bothered. Mr Smith scowled as I slipped into the seat at the middle and Macey took a seat at the side. I noticed Zach wasn't there; he must have already been taken down to the basement.

Everyone began to throw insults at me as usual, but for once I wasn't listening. My mind was drifting to Zach and I felt almost annoyed at myself for hoping he was okay.

Suddenly I felt a knock to my head, so hard it knocked me right off the chair. I crumpled down on the floor. I heard gasps echo around the room and then Mr Smith's command for everyone to shut up.

I lifted my hand shakily up to my temple where I felt the stickiness of blood and groaned. Everything was a haze as I opened my eyes.

"You know what happens when you don't cry at the insults" Mr Smith was kneeling down beside me. "We only result to physical punishment when we have to Ms Morgan, but today it seems like you're feeling particularly obstinate"

I groaned again, resisting the urge to vomit. My head throbbed painfully.

I heard footsteps as someone else approached me. "No leave her!" I head Mr Smith order them.

"Let me just clean up her head" I recognised Mr Solomon's voice as he leaned down towards me.

"No, she needs to be punished" Mr Smith barked and I saw him push Macey into the centre of the circle to take her go.

"It will stain the carpet if we don't move her now!" Mr Solomon pleaded. It was a pretty good excuse and Mr Smith seemed to fall for it. "Fine, but bring her back in a minute, we're not done yet"

"Of course Mr Smith" Mr Solomon replied and he held out his hand towards me. I didn't want to take it, I wanted to sleep. I'd never felt more tired in my life, everything was a haze, my head throbbed like it was going to explode.

"Please Cammie" Mr Solomon was whispering urgently in my ear. "I have some headache tablets in my room" He urged.

I managed to stagger up. I was sure I saw Mr Smith roll his eyes and mutter "He's far too soft with them"

Mr Solomon supported most of my weight as I stumbled down the corridor.

"Why didn't you just cry at the verbal insults" Mr Solomon sighed. "I know you could have fake cried Cammie I've seen you do it before!"

"I just… had other things on my mind… I wasn't really listening" I mumbled.

Mr Solomon helped me down a corridor that I knew was out of bounds for most of us.

"These are the teacher's rooms" Mr Solomon told me as he pushed open the door to reveal a large room. My mouth dropped open. It couldn't be more opposite to our rooms upstairs. Light streamed in through the stain glass windows, so bright it made me head throb even worse. A box of chocolates was laid out on a chest of draws and the bed looked insanely comfy.

"We don't have long" Mr Solomon warned as he saw me eye the bed longingly. "I came down to therapy early before Mr Smith got there to give out chocolates to everyone considering your dinner got cancelled. Would you like one?"

I shook my head but groaned at the throbbing that followed. It was unlike me to turn down food, but I was sure Mr Solomon wouldn't have appreciated vomit all over his comfy bed.

"Ahh, headache pills" Mr Solomon walked briskly to some small draws and pulled out a box of pills.

I took them thankfully, swallowing down three instead of the recommended two. I felt like my head was going to split open.

Mr Solomon came closer to me and stared at my forehead. "He certainly put some strength behind that" Mr Solomon's eyes narrowed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap" I mumbled. Mr Solomon laughed.

"Well, I know a little about these things and I'm sure there won't be any lasting damage"

I shrugged.

"I take it Zach told you who I am?" He asked carefully.

"Yes" My voice broke. "He told me all about how you go to Blackthorne… and all about how I used to as well… but they erased my memory before I came here"

Mr Solomon sighed. "One day you'll see Cammie, this was all for the best"

"I have yet to see it" I grumbled.

Mr Solomon laughed again. "Well, have you been shot by a member of The Circle yet? Have you been stabbed in your sleep?"

"Well… when you put it like that…" I sighed defeated. "I know, I'm better off here"

Mr Solomon nodded. "For the moment, yes" He paused. "Now let's take a look at your head"

He gently led me to the bathroom. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and almost fainted, I looked gruesome.

"It looks worse than it is" Mr Solomon assured me as he got a cloth and started gently wiping the blood off my head, ignoring my cries of protest.

Sure enough after all the blood was gone I could finally see the fairly small cut along my hairline. I touched it and winced.

"It's going to hurt for a while, but I think you should be okay" Mr Solomon smiled.

"Thanks…" I said. "For… everything"

"No problem" Mr Solomon replied as he lead me back to the counselling session.

()()()()

"You took your time" Mr Smith grumbled as we walked in. I spotted Macey clutching her wrist in the centre of the circle, it had swelled up incredibly. I felt Mr Solomon tense up angrily next to me as he saw too.

"Since you and Macey seem to insist on being so defiant you can sleep in the basement tonight" he growled at us.

Mr Smith gave me a gentle squeeze on the shoulder as soon as Mr Smith turned away. "It will be okay, I'll come check on you later" He urged.

So Macey and I followed Mr Smith solemnly down the stairs. My heart was drumming against my chest at the thought of seeing Zach again.

Suddenly I felt a defiant push behind me as Mr Smith shoved me and Macey into what looked like a prison cell.

I watched as Mr Smith locked the cell door and turned on his heel and marched back up the steps.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Zach practically yelled at me. I turned around to face his expression full of anger. I shrank back under his glare, before realising, I hadn't done anything wrong!

I squared up to him. "Like you have the right to tell me what to do" I raged back.

Suddenly Zach's expression seemed to smooth out. "What happened?" he asked gently as he came closer to me and brushed his finger lightly against the cut on my head. I turned away.

"Therapy" I hissed.

"Urm, guys" We both turned to look at Macey who looked like she wasn't sure whether it was okay to interrupt.

"I… just thought I should let you know that…" Macey began to say, but Zach interrupted.

"Smoke?" He asked incredibly. "There's smoke coming from under the door…"

Suddenly he pushed me backwards and just as I was about to yell at him he had dropped to the floor, trying to look under the door. He drew back coughing.

"Jesus Christ" he whispered. "The buildings on fire… and we're trapped!"

**FINALLY, some action in the next chapter! So, I want your predictions, who has set the Gallagher Academy Mental Institution on fire?! I've got some great things planned for the next chapter! ;)**

**Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews, it takes like five seconds of your time… Thanks!**


	6. Unexpected

**A/N:**

**Sorry that it took a while for me to update, but I think this chapter worked out fairly well in the end. I loved your predictions as to who set the building on fire, none of you guessed it so I hope this is a bit of a surprise for you! ;)**

**Review please!**

_Previously:_

"_Smoke?" He asked incredibly. "There's smoke coming from under the door…"_

_Suddenly he pushed me backwards and just as I was about to yell at him he had dropped to the floor, trying to look under the door. He drew back coughing._

"_Jesus Christ" he whispered. "The buildings on fire… and we're trapped!"_

()()()()

I fell against the wall of the cell, an action that had nothing to do with the throbbing pain in my head.

I put my head in my hands.

"Is your head hurting Cammie?" Macey asked gently.

I shrugged. "I just can't see any way out of this Macey, unless one of the teachers comes down to get us there is no way we're getting out of here"

Macey kept a defiant look on her face. "Mr Solomon will come for us, he cares about us"

Me and Zach exchanged a hopeful look, knowing that Mr Solomon would do anything to protect us… especially me.

"Well he's not here yet" My voice cracked.

"He will be" Zach argued as he came to sit next to me. I felt so helpless, I knew Zach was feeling the same, we were meant to be spies in training and we couldn't even escape a room.

"We don't know where the fire is and how long it's been going for, this place is massive, people may not have realised it's on fire yet" I said shakily. Zach shuffled his body so he was closer to me. He took my face in his hands.

Macey was pacing the room, still looking for a way out.

"Mr Solomon will be here, he will" Zach stroked the cut along my hairline gently. I pulled away.

Zach sighed and let his hands fall dead against his sides. "I don't see what your problem is Cammie, I really don't. I put myself in here for a night just so Mr Solomon wouldn't punish you and then you just… ignore me"

I kicked a stone hard and watched in bounce along the floor.

"What happened to your head Cammie?" Zach asked. "Did Mr Smith hit you?"

I looked away.

"Mr Smith hit her because she wouldn't cry at the verbal insults" Macey told Zach.

"And Mr Solomon didn't help you?!" Zach seemed disappointed.

"Why should he?" Macey asked. "He's just like the others, but a bit nicer"

Me and Zach exchanged another look.

"He did help me, he cleaned up my head, and he was great" I smiled weakly at Zach. "He couldn't stop it happening, it happened too quickly"

Zach nodded but he still looked concerned. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "I took some headache pills"

I drew my legs up to my chest and rested my chin on my knees.

"Cammie" Zach's voice was suddenly shaky; he was staring into my eyes worriedly.

"How many headache pills did you take?"

My head felt hazy as I tried to remember. "Three… I think"

Zach groaned. "Cammie, you're only meant to take one"

"Oh…" I shrugged. "I'm sure it doesn't matter, I just feel tired"

Zach nodded but his eyes didn't leave my face.

"Why did you do it Zach?" I asked. I didn't directly mention Macey but I could tell he knew what I meant. I glanced over towards Macey who was leaning against the other side of the wall completely tuned out of our conversation.

Zach glanced over at her too. "I… Can't tell you… but you have to believe me Cammie, it meant nothing, I promise you"

"Right" I replied curtly. I attempted to stand but almost fell back down onto the hard stone floor, Zach narrowly catching me.

"Careful" he told me as he steadied me. "The headache pills will probably make you drowsy"

"I gathered that" I snapped as I pulled away from him, but I finished my sentence with a coughing fit from the smoke invading my lungs, making my head throb even worse, I felt like I was about to pass out but someone was holding me steady.

"The fire's getting worse" I heard Zach mutter. He let go of me gently and I struggled to stay standing without the support of his strong arms. He turned me to face him and shrugged off his jumper, holding it against my mouth. I frowned, not sure what he was doing.

"It should help; it will stop you breathing in the smoke"

"Okay" I chocked.

Macey, Zach and I all retreated to the back of the cell, as far away from the smoke as possible. My eyes began to water and even the jumper over my mouth couldn't stop me chocking on the acidic smoke. I felt Zach cough next to me and tried to force the jumper into his arms, but he wouldn't let me and so I kept it pressed against my face, trying to block out the smoke.

"I wish… Mr Solomon would… hurry up!" I coughed.

"Me too" Macey agreed.

"Shh!" Zach suddenly motioned for us to be quiet. We all stopped to listen, but all I could hear was the crackling of fire.

"I just heard the door open" Zach told us.

Sure enough, I could begin to hear footsteps and a cloud of smoke hit us, making us all choke. I sunk down onto the floor, my head spinning, my eyes were burning and every breath seemed like effort.

"Cammie, please just stay awake!" Zach was tugging me back up. I groaned but picked myself up from the floor weakly.

"It's probably Mr Solomon!" Macey cried out happily.

I nodded, but me and Zach shared a look. We were spies, and we knew that the footsteps coming down the steps weren't Mr Solomon's.

A dark figure was walking over to the wooden creates on the other side of the basement. Holding a lit match.

"Bex!" I yelled out desperately, but she couldn't hear me, and her hand shakily dropped the lit match onto the wooden creates. The flames engulfed the creates instantly and she leapt back from the flame, smiling to herself. I wondered what the hell she was doing here.

I fell against the wall of the cell, no longer able to stand the smoke.

I could sense Bex turning away, I could hear her footsteps retreat back up the stairs, I could hear Zach try once more to desperately yell out her name… and then I heard her stop, and run back down the stairs.

**Wow, so now you know who caused the fire… but can you guess why?! You'll find out in the next chapter. I have already written the chapter out so if you review I'll update this story quicker! ;)**

**Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews.**


	7. Satisfaction

**A/N:**

**Okay so I promised a quick update if you reviewed. You reviewed. So here's your update! Shout out to a few people who guessed correctly why Bex set fire to Gallagher: oxoxGallagherGirloxox, XxHopexX, Uknowiloveu, Narmality & Let's Live While We're Young.**

**A lot of you had some good guesses though! Hope you like this chapter. Any ideas from now on would be appreciated as this is the last chapter I have planned out. Thanks! **

_Previously:_

"_Bex!" I yelled out desperately, but she couldn't hear me, and her hand shakily dropped the lit match onto the wooden creates. The flames engulfed the creates instantly and she leapt back from the flame, smiling to herself. I wondered what the hell she was doing here._

_I fell against the wall of the cell, no longer able to stand the smoke._

_I could sense Bex turning away, I could hear her footsteps retreat back up the stairs, I could hear Zach try once more to desperately yell out her name… and then I heard her stop, and run back down the stairs._

()()()()

"Oh my god" Bex whispered. "What have I done!"

"That's what I'd like to know" Zach muttered angrily.

Bex leant against the bars of the cell, struggling to hear him over the roar of flames.

"I was trying to save you!" Bex was crying now. "My mom sent me back here because she said I was too much to deal with, I was talking to ghosts again… and so I thought that if I set the place on fire then I would get to go home and all of you would too and…"

"Bex your stupid!" Macey fumed. "We're going to die down here thanks to you!"

"Well you don't seem to care about that when you cut your wrists!" Bex retorted.

Macey was silent.

"I'm sorry!" I could see Bex's eyes widen at the reality of what she'd just said. "Macey I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Bex!" Zach interrupted. "I'm not sure if you noticed… but this place is on fire, and right now, you need to go and get Mr Solomon to help us!"

"Right!" Bex shook her head as if she were trying to focus on the task. "I'll run as fast as I can, I promise!"

She darted out the room like a bullet and I had no doubt she would stick to her word and get Mr Solomon. I did however doubt that Mr Solomon would get here in time.

"Cammie…"

"I'm fine" I snapped immediately, not wanting Zach's concern.

"No, Cammie, your head!" Zach was fighting back his coughing as he kneeled down on the floor in front of me and tilted my head to the side.

"You're bleeding from your ear… and you're nose, Cammie, you need to be in a hospital right now!"

"I feel fine" I lied as I wiped away the blood with the back of my hand. Zach's face was blurry in front of me, my head was pounding and I was holding back my tears from the pain.

My vision was starting to get black around the edges, but I could see Zach's face leaning in closer to me.

"Just stay awake Cammie" Zach pleaded.

I could feel my eyelids fluttering as I fought to stay awake. Really, what was the point? If I fell asleep I would either die or wake up in a hospital. Hopefully. What was the point of staying awake just to be in pain?

Either Zach could sense the pain I was feeling or he could read my mind because he muttered "Please just stay awake Cammie, for me?"

I was pretty sure I didn't owe him anything, but I let him haul me up from the floor and I leaned against his shoulder while he held me steady. I felt like I was in a dream, a nightmare, I felt like part of me was asleep and part of me was awake.

It was all I could do to at least pretend I was listening to Macey and Zach's conversation.

"Do you think Bex will make it back in time?" I heard Macey whisper, and then cough violently.

Zach was supporting practically all of my weight and so I felt when he turned around to stare at the fire. I focused my eyes on the bright yellow flame that had now engulfed the boxes only metres from where we were standing.

"She'll be back" Zach replied confidently.

"Cammie, are you okay?" Macey's worried face obscured my vision. I didn't have the energy to reply. I could hardly breathe, my throat was burning and the throbbing in my head was overpowering. I stayed slumped against Zach, forcing my stinging eyes to stay open.

"She just needs fresh air" I heard Zach mutter.

Macey and Zach continued to talk but I had completely zoned out of their conversation, all my focus was on the pain I was feeling and the flames that were lapping against the bars of the cell.

"Zach, Macey, Cammie!" Mr Solomon's voice gave me the energy to tilt my body and sigh with relief as I saw him running towards us.

He didn't waste any time. He got out a key out from his pocket that I had no idea where he'd got from. Zach was obviously thinking the same thing.

"How did you get the key for the lock?!" Zach coughed as Mr Solomon proceeded to open the door.

Mr Solomon glanced quickly at Macey who was too far away to hear what he was saying. "I'm a spy Zach, give me some credit, when I heard Mr Smith was locking you up down here I got a spare key from his room, just encase."

"Why didn't you come sooner?" I somehow managed to choke out. Mr Solomon suddenly looked like he was seeing me for the first time and his face creased with worry.

"Bex came to get me telling me she thought she'd killed you all, that she'd set fire to this place and hadn't realised you were stuck down here. No one else has even seen the fire yet, it's so far away from anywhere else in the mansion… Cammie can you hear me?"

I was trying to focus on what he was saying but I could feel my consciousness drifting.

I heard the click of a lock opening and finally we were free. I was half expecting Zach to drag me out of the door but in fact I felt him pick me up, bridal style. I contemplated telling him to put me down… but then I realised I could hardly breathe, let alone speak. So instead I just let Zach carry me through the door and let my head slouch against his shoulder.

"Do you want me to carry her?" I heard Mr Solomon ask

"No" I heard Zach reply simply as he gripped onto me harder.

I felt the heat hit my skin as we ran past the fire in the corner of the room. We had run up the stairs when suddenly I remembered Macey.

"Macey…" I croaked.

"I'm here Cammie" I heard her cough behind me.

When we were up the stairs the heat was smothering. The fire was worse up here, nearly blocking the whole corridor.

Mr Solomon was shrugging off his jacket and tucking it over me.

"Run through the fire with Cammie, just go quick before it gets worse" Mr Solomon ushered Zach forward, he gripped me even tighter to his chest as if he were trying to shelter me from the flames. Zach ran quickly through the flames, I heard him wince several times and it was a while before I felt the fire burning through the exposed skin on my arm… but I didn't care anymore, I was in so much pain I hardly noticed it. From the footsteps behind us I could tell Mr Solomon was running with Macey after us.

As soon as we were away from the fire and the smoke I broke into a fit of coughing, I felt like the fire was trapped in my lungs.

"I'll go and get the nurse and get Mr Smith to call 911, you take Cammie and Macey outside, you all need fresh air" I heard him tell Zach.

"I… can… walk… now" My voice came out as a whisper.

Zach ignored me and he carried on walking towards the door that led to the grounds. I felt him speed up as I began another coughing fit.

The fresh air almost burned my lungs worse than the smoke, but eventually I felt my head begin to clear.

"Just stay still and take deep breaths" Zach muttered, he too was trying to breathe in the fresh air.

Macey sat down next to me also catching her breath. "Cammie you have a real bad nose bleed"

I put my hand up to wipe away the blood but Zach's hand grabbed mine.

"Just stay still" he said again. I couldn't be bothered to argue so I leaned my head against his chest, not even caring that I would be getting blood over his nice new shirt. The smoke that had invaded my lungs eventually began to clear and the pounding returned to my head.

"My head hurts" I whimpered, tears pricked at my eyes, I couldn't stand it anymore.

"I know" Zach soothed, he ran his hand through my mattered hair, a motion that stirred a memory.

()()()()

"I'm so sorry darling, I'm so sorry it has to be this way" My mom was crying hysterically, holding some kind of liquid in her hand, her hand brushed against my hair in a motherly gesture.

"Please mom I begged, please don't make me leave, please don't erase my memory" I was on my knees pleading.

"I'm so sorry" She said again and I felt a needle pierce my skin, making me feel drowsy.

"I hate you for doing this" I slurred. "I hate you for making me forget all this, for trying to send me away, let me stay… please, let me…"

()()()()

"Cammie!" Someone was violently shaking me and yelling at me. I ignored them, letting the loss sweep over me.

"You need to call 911!" I heard Mr Solomon yelling at Mr Smith.

"No, I am not having another inspection!" Mr Smith was raging back. "They can all have medical treatment here with the nurse, we don't need an ambulance"

"What about the fire then?!" Mr Solomon was still livid with anger.

"We have the cleaners down there taking care of it now, it wasn't that bad, a fire extinguisher will do the trick"

"They could have died" Mr Solomon muttered.

"But they didn't" Mr Smith growled. "They'll be fine Mr Solomon, and the nurse is on her way"

"I'll have to call her mom" Mr Solomon smoke quietly. I felt my heart stop.

"Her mother specifically said no calls unless in emergencies" Mr Smith seemed alarmed.

"This is a bloody emergency!" Mr Solomon yelled. "Now give me your cell phone so I can call her mom and tell her what happened!"

Mr Smith paused as if he were thinking. "Fine, but tell her Cammie will be fine, if you don't remember her mom paid a lot of money for us to have her"

I felt my body freeze up as I heard a number being dialled on a cell phone. Suddenly I didn't care if my mom had placed me here for a good reason, if what I was about to do would get me killed… I needed to speak to her.

I felt someone lean over me and the nurse began to speak.

"She'll be fine, we'll put her on oxygen for a while to make sure we get the smoke out of her system, and the bleeding from her nose and ears must be due to swelling of the brain, which we can cure with medication…"

I stopped listening to her as soon as I heard Mr Solomon speak.

"Hello Rachel"

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. I couldn't mess this up. Timing was everything.

"Cammie can you hear me?" I heard the nurse ask. I ignored her, keeping my eyes shut.

"Cammie?" Zach was gripping onto my arm.

"Rachel, please calm down, there's not an emergency… well not really" Mr Solomon was trying to calm my mom down on the phone.

"Okay, well Rachel, there was a fire here… yes Cammie was hurt… no, not badly… Well, she's unconscious now but I could ask her to call you when she wakes up if that's what you'd like?"

I was pretty sure I was having a heart attack waiting for Mr Solomon to speak.

"Of course, no, I think that's for the best"

So my mom didn't want to speak to me. I forced back the tears.

Mr Solomon lowered his voice, probably so no one could hear him… unless they were a spy like me of course.

"No Rachel, she's perfectly safe here, no sign of the circle whatsoever, I agree, this is the safest place for her"

I knew the conversation wouldn't go on for much longer, I knew I had to this.

My body felt like it weighed double what it did, my eyes felt like they were glued shut and my heart suggested I was having a heart attack, but I sense Mr Solomon's voice coming from the north east. I moved.

In one swift movement, I was off the floor. So quickly that Zach didn't even have a chance to blink, let alone stop me. Mr Solomon didn't even sense me and he jumped out of his skin as I swiped the phone from his grasp.

"Mom!"

"Cammie…" I heard her gasp in shock at the end of the phone, I felt the longing to be with her fill my body again and the lump in my throat threatened to escape as a sob. Suddenly I was lost for words. I had imagined myself spilling out what this place was really like, but just the sound of my mom's crystal clear voice made me forget what to say.

I opened my mouth to speak, moving deftly out of the way as Mr Solomon tried to snatch the phone away from me. And then I heard the beeping sound at the end of the phone.

"No…" I whispered. She hadn't put the phone down on me… she couldn't have. I'd risked everything just to say one word to my mom… I was an idiot.

I turned around and flinched as I saw Mr Smith's glare of contempt. In his eyes I had just risked the reason this place was still running, his client that was paying double what anyone else was paying. My mom had said no calls from me… and I'd just ruined that. I turned to Mr Solomon who held out his hand, motioning for me to give him the phone, even he looked angry. He would probably be in trouble too. Everyone else stood staring at me in shock, except Bex who was staring at the floor, probably dreading her own punishment.

"Well shall I take her to the medical room to rest?" I heard the nurse ask Mr Smith.

"Yes" Mr Smith growled. "But release her as soon as she's better, I think I need to speak to her"

Suddenly rage filled my body. I wasn't even allowed to speak to my own mom. I threw the phone onto the ground and heard it smash. I didn't care. The loss in my body flowed so strong I dropped to my knees on the ground. I wanted to cry… But I wouldn't let Mr Smith see me cry over this. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Cammie, come on, follow me" The nurse grabbed my arm and dragged me to the hospital wing.

At that point I should have probably thought about the consequences of my actions. Mr Solomon would be upset. I'd probably almost cost him his job and Mr Smith's wrath. Mr Smith would probably hurt me again. Zach was probably disappointed in me for being so weak.

I'd spoken to my mom. She'd spoken one word, two syllables, barely even a sentence, but I'd heard my mom's voice, and it was enough to cause a small smile to spread over my face, regardless of what would come next.

**You always seem great at guessing what's coming next, and soon you will find out why Zach kissed Macey… SO, can any of you guess why? I bet no one will guess this! ;) Review please; it honestly makes me so happy to read your reviews.**


	8. Apologies

**A/N:**

**None of you guessed why Macey and Zach kissed so I hope you enjoy the twist in this chapter. I don't feel it's my best chapter so I'm sorry but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for the reviews!**

_Previously:_

_At that point I should have probably thought about the consequences of my actions. Mr Solomon would be upset. I'd probably almost cost him his job and Mr Smith's wrath. Mr Smith would probably hurt me again. Zach was probably disappointed in me for being so weak._

_I'd spoken to my mom. She'd spoken one word, two syllables, barely even a sentence, but I'd heard my mom's voice, and it was enough to cause a small smile to spread over my face, regardless of what would come next._

()()()()

"Drink this water" The nurse instructed.

I turned my head away.

"I said drink the water!" she yelled at me. I drank it.

"There, that wasn't so hard was it?"

"No" I mumbled into the pillows.

"I'll keep you in overnight, and then you can go back to classes and therapy tomorrow… Lucky you" She smirked. I didn't bother to reply. Instead, I glanced at Zach who was sitting up on the bed opposite me also being checked out by one of the nurses. He was watching me. I quickly averted my gaze.

It felt like hours had passed until Zach came and sat next to me.

"You okay?" he muttered.

I shrugged. If barely being able to breathe and having a head that felt like it was exploding was classed as okay, then I was fine.

"You know I wasn't mad about you finding a way to speak to your mom, I'm mad because I was so worried about you when you passed out and wouldn't answer me… and then… I find out you could hear me that whole time… I was worried sick Cammie"

"You weren't worried sick when you kissed Macey, were you?" I shot back.

Zach glared at me with utter annoyance. "It's up to you if you want to trust me or not, and you clearly don't, so that's your call"

"Whatever" I muttered.

Suddenly I felt Zach tense up beside me, I looked around searching for the cause.

"Oh Cammie, you look a lot better" Mr Smith was glaring at me with utter contempt.

"I guess… I feel a bit better" I stammered.

"You've cost me a lot of trouble Cameron" Mr Smith began pacing the room. "Your mother has been on the phone to me… quite a few times since the incident. She wasn't happy. She told us she wanted no contact with you"

Suddenly Mr Smith was less than five metres away from my face. I drew my breath in and I felt Zach edge closer to me on the bed.

"Luckily for you she'll continue to pay me, but one more slip up Miss Morgan, and they'll be dire consequences"

I nodded. Mr Smith passed me a glass of water. "Drink this, you need to get better as soon as possible" he smiled. I frowned, I had no idea why he was being so nice all of a sudden, but I took the water anyway and took a large gulp, just as Zach knocked it out of my hand and all down my arm.

I chocked, acid burned my throat, I could feel blood filling my mouth.

Zach was already dragging me to the bathroom sink. "Spit it out Cammie" he said urgently. I didn't hesitate. I chocked out the vile liquid.

"Oh… my…"

"Shh" Zach soothed. He was already getting me a different cup of water. Actual water this time. I stared at the glass and felt my stomach heave again.

"Zach…" I whimpered.

"I know, I know Cammie, just drink this water" Zach urged.

Zach's words were drowned out with Mr Smith's hysterical laugh. I watched in horror as Zach shoved Mr Smith with all the force he could muster.

"You idiot!" He yelled. "How could you make Cammie drink bleach?! That could have killed her!"

"But it didn't" Mr Smith smugly pointed out. "I look forward to seeing you two in therapy tomorrow, this was just a little taster of what to expect"

As soon as Mr Smith had sauntered out the door Zach was straight back over to me. He brushed the hair away from my face as I leaned weakly against the sink, tears streaming down my face.

"It burns" I whispered.

"Drink more water" Zach told me. I gulped down the water thankfully, feeling the burning in my throat subside. I leaned my head against Zach's shoulder.

"Are you both okay?" I jumped at the sound of Mr Solomon's voice.

"No" Zach raged. "Actually we're not, well, Cammie's not"

I gave his hand a quick squeeze to tell Zach to forget about it, but I could practically feel Zach's anger radiating around the room.

"What happened?" Mr Solomon asked urgently as he saw my tear streaked face.

"He gave her bleach. Joe, he made her drink bleach!" I blinked in surprise at how Zach called Mr Solomon Joe. It sounded so natural.

"He… Bleach?!" Mr Solomon sounded absolutely livid.

"I'm fine" I reassured everyone.

"No Cammie, this is too much, your mom would be…"

"No, don't tell her!" I cried out in alarm. She was probably already ashamed in me for being so weak and interrupting her phone call with Mr Solomon. I wanted her to be proud of me; I wanted to be strong for her.

Mr Solomon shook his head, clearly at a loss of what to do.

"I'm fine" I said again as I pushed passed them out of the bathroom and sat on the bed.

"I don't get it" Zach frowned. "An hour ago you pretended to be passed out so you could speak one word to your mom and now Mr Solomon's offering to call her for you and you don't want him too?"

I looked down at the floor. "When I fake passed out… I wasn't really faking some of it… I remembered a memory of her when she was making me leave… I guess it just made me really want to speak to her but now… I feel like I'd rather just get through this and make her proud of me"

Mr Solomon smiled.

"And Mr Solomon… I'm really sorry if I risked your job"

Mr Solomon shrugged. "Mr Smith was mad but there's not exactly a long list of people wanting to work in this place"

I nodded.

"I'm proud of you Cammie" Mr Solomon smiled… but then grimaced. "If Mr Smith does anything else like this though… you need to tell me. I mean it Cammie"

"Of course" I lied smoothly.

"How are you feeling?" Zach asked as Mr Solomon left and I gulped down more water.

"Okay I guess"

"Good"

There was an awkward silence.

"Why don't you trust me?" Zach asked suddenly.

"What?" I frowned.

"About Macey, about that it meant nothing…"

"Why should I?" I fumed. "How can you have an excuse for something like that?"

"Quite easily!" Zach exclaimed. "As a spy I'm astounded you haven't guessed why yet"

"Well, as a girl, I think the only logical explanation is that you like her. I mean whatever…"

"She was going to kill herself!" Zach yelled at me. I took a step back. Zach had a desperate look in his eyes.

"What?" I whispered.

"Nothing" Zach looked at the floor guiltily. "I said I wouldn't tell anyone… I'm such an idiot!"

"No Zach, tell me what you're talking about"

Zach glared at me. "Fine, if you want to know so badly, Mr Smith had just called her a load of names, made he cry, made her feel she was worthless, that no one would ever like her. I found her in the food hall holding a knife to her wrist. Vertically. Do you know what that means Cammie?"

I nodded shakily. "It means… It means…"

"It means if she had slit her wrist in that direction she would have lost so much blood she would have died. I had to comfort her; I wanted her to feel like she wasn't worthless. So I kissed her."

"I still don't see why…" I started.

"God, Cammie, are you stupid?!" Zach yelled. "It's obvious, she wants a guy to love her, I couldn't give her that, but I had to show her she wasn't worthless so I kissed her"

"And… then what?" I whispered.

I couldn't bare the way Zach glared at me as he carried on. "She said that she didn't like me in that way, and I said I didn't either, and we both agreed that it was a mistake, but I told her she shouldn't feel worthless. I persuaded her someone would love her. I persuaded her not to kill herself. Yes, that's right, I'm the reason your best friend is still alive, and you just stand there accusing me of loving her, even though I told you there was a good reason, even though I told you to trust me. You didn't."

"I… Zach I'm sorry… I had no idea, I didn't think"

"Whatever" Zach shrugged me off. "I hope you're happy now"

"No… no I'm not, I'm so sorry Zach!"

"Sorry just isn't good enough this time" Zach didn't look me in the eyes as he left the room. I had no option but to fall down onto the floor and watch him leave in despair.

**Revieeeeew please!**


	9. Betrayal

**A/N:**

**Thanks for the reviews. Let me know what you think of this chapter, it was a bit rushed so sorry! I think I'm going to have to end this story soon or take a break from it… I'm totally out of ideas, so if you have any ideas let me know in the reviews. Thanks!**

_Previously:_

"_No… no I'm not, I'm so sorry Zach!"_

"_Sorry just isn't good enough this time" Zach didn't look me in the eyes as he left the room. I had no option but to fall down onto the floor and watch him leave in despair._

()()()()

The next day was terrible for a variety of reasons, and that's before I found out the biggest reason. My throat was still burning, my head was pounding, and I felt terrible.

Every lesson felt days long, every question someone asked me felt like effort to reply to.

"Therapy has been cancelled for today"

We all stared at Mr Smith in shock, some food even fell out of Bex's mouth.

"No way!" Whispered Macey happily.

I raised my hand.

"Yes Cameron?" He glared at me.

"Why?" I asked.

"We have a visitor coming"

We all looked at each other warily, probably another inspection.

"The visitor is even… more special than the first… so only a select few will get to meet them, to tell them how great this place is, everything will be rehearsed beforehand" Mr Smith ordered. That was when I knew I'd be chosen to greet this 'special' guest; I was one of the only sane one's after all… except… I glanced at Zach who was sat at the other table. I was sure he could sense my stare but he didn't meet my gaze. I felt my heart sink.

"Zachary, here please" Mr Smith beckoned him over to stand beside him. "And…" His gaze brushed straight past me. "Macey"

I felt sick.

Macey went to stand beside Zach. "All of you will go to your afternoon lessons; our visitor will come and watch a select few but other than that you are forbidden to stray anywhere that isn't listed on your timetable. Now, off you go"

We all fled to our next lesson, mine being Maths with Liz. "Why didn't he pick you?" She asked as soon as we were out of ear-shot of everyone else.

"I don't know Liz… I…" I began to say that I was as shocked as she was when Zach elbowed past me with Macey, both of them laughing. I stopped walking and watched them turn the corner.

"It's nice to see Macey having fun" Liz stopped beside me smiling. "I think Zach's good for her"

I didn't have the strength to agree, but I did manage a feeble nod.

Maths passed in total boredom. The visitor had obviously decided not to visit our class so the teacher felt safe to just drone on about nothing, most of it was incorrect, but I didn't bother to point it out to her. I was almost relieved when dinner came around; I knew it would be a nice feast again because of the unknown visitor.

"Hey Cammie!" Macey beamed at me as I walked into the grand hall.

"You're in a good mood" I said rather haughtily. We took our place at the table, surprised there wasn't food already laid out and there was no sign of the visitor. I frowned as Mr Smith looked over at me and smirked. Even Zach was watching me thoughtfully, but Macey was practically bouncing out of her seat.

"I can't believe you're not excited!" Macey exclaimed. Okay, Macey had truly lost it. "Macey sh!" I tried to quieten her down, not in the mood to feel Mr Smith's wrath but she wouldn't listen.

"Cammie, your mom is seriously the nicest woman in the whole world! I…"

"What" I spat out. "Macey, what did you just say!"

"Your mom…" She repeated, confused. "Mr Smith said he'd told you she was visiting"

I was pretty sure my eyes suddenly couldn't get any wider, and I was sure Macey couldn't look any more bewildered.

"Macey tell me you did not just meet my mom" my teeth were grinding together; my pulse was racing at an unthinkable level. I couldn't breathe.

Macey looked down at the floor. That was answer enough.

"Cammie, where are you going?!" Macey yelled after me. Mr Smith's laugh rang in my ears.

All the thoughts rampaging around my head were sickening ones. My mom had been metres away from me, my mom had been in the same building, she'd met Macey, she could still be near…

"Don't do anything stupid Cammie" The voice made me run even faster.

"Leave me alone Zach"

"The other day you said you were okay with not seeing your mom?" Zach asked puzzled. I span around on my heel, Zach almost walked straight into me.

"That was before I knew she'd be visiting and not even seeing me! Did she even ask how I was?!"

Zach chewed nervously on his lip. "Well, she was very worried about security, she said there'd been a break-in at Blackthorne, The Circle, they…"

"I don't care!" I shrieked. "I'm going to find her!"

Zach grabbed my arm. "Cammie… don't be stupid, she left quarter of an hour ago, she'll be ages away by now, she…"

"Shut up!" I screamed, tears were pouring down my face. "Just shut up, move out of the way!"

Zach did as I said and watched me storm down the corridor. I had no idea where I was going. No idea at all… but I kind of liked it… I felt free, just roaming the mansion.

"Cammie, please wait up!"

I walked faster.

"Please!"

I ran. I ran as fast as I could, and although I may have physically been weak, mentally I'd never felt stronger. My mom was so close to me. I kept running until I could no longer hear Zach's footsteps and the only sound was my heavy breathing, I leaned against the wall to steady myself for a minute. I'd never felt so alive since I'd arrived here, we were all so used to being cooped up inside all the time, it just felt so good to run. Just as I was about to begin sprinting again my hand slipped against the wall, knocking a candle tray. I scolded myself, preparing to feel the pain of the stone wall scrape against my knuckles… but there was just air. I opened my eyes and stared at the space in the wall where moments before I could have sworn there wasn't a gap. I pushed through the gap and descended into darkness. I would have been lying if I'd said I wasn't scared, but I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't excited. Beyond excited.

I felt my way along the dark corridor until the cold air whipped at my face and the cold bit into my skin. I wished I'd taken a coat. I began running across the Gallagher academy fields, the ones only idiots used to escape, but I didn't care anymore, the only thing I could feel was numbness, the cold merely brushed past me.

I guess I now know though that there does become a point when the cold does start to affect you, when the wind is so loud you can't even hear your own thoughts, when you're crying so much everything is just a blur of colour. That's exactly how I felt as I reached the outskirts of the small town of Roseville.

The first thing I noticed was the town's people's smiles, their faces full of joy. The second thing I noticed was the Christmas lights that bathed the town in a cheery yellow glow. The people all sauntered past me, their bags hitting against me, a motion that would usually just cause someone to stagger a bit… but when you're a teenage girl who's been locked in a mansion for weeks with limited amounts of food it can cause a slightly more harsh effect, and knock you down onto the floor.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" A woman yelled at the man who knocked me over as she rushed to help me up… but I didn't want to get up. I wanted to stay laying on the pavement forever.

"Look at you, you're freezing! I'll get you a hot chocolate and…" The woman babbled on mindlessly but as I looked into her eyes there was only one word I could say.

"Mom?"

**Revieeeeew please!**


	10. Fights

**A/N:**

**Okay so I think I'm back on track with this story, I've planned out one or two more chapters, and then that will be the end. Sorry, but I think I'd just rather end it in the appropriate place rather than drag it out. And I'm sorry about all my cliff hangers, I just like to torture you all I guess ;) But, I do have some good(e) in me, and so I'm planning to next update Christmas day! **

_Previously:_

"_Hey! Watch where you're going!" A woman yelled at the man who knocked me over as she rushed to help me up… but I didn't want to get up. I wanted to stay laying on the pavement forever._

"_Look at you, you're freezing! I'll get you a hot chocolate and…" The woman babbled on mindlessly but as I looked into her eyes there was only one word I could say._

"_Mom?" _

()()()()

My mom's mouth was doing more opening and closing rather than talking so I decided to talk for her.

"Mom, I'm sorry I'm here I just had to get out to see you when I'd heard you'd visited and… and I haven't seen you… I"

"You're so skinny" My mom whispered as if she hadn't heard me. She knelt down in front of me, looking me over in a way that made me feel self-conscious. Her fingers brushed lightly against the faded cut on my forehead, I winced as she touched the bruise. She withdrew her fingers like she'd been electrocuted.

"What have I done to you?" she murmured.

"Nothing, it wasn't your fault" I reassured her as I stood up, pulling her up with me. As my hand grabbed hers she jumped, almost like she didn't realise who I was.

"Everything's in position Rachel"

I jumped at the sound of the voice, but then I saw the comms unit in my mom's ear and relaxed. But the voice didn't seem to relax my mom, in fact, it was like she just suddenly remembered something horrific.

"No! No!" She shouted into the comms unit, causing everyone walking past to stare at us. "Abort the mission! Do you hear me?!"

"What mission mom?" I asked.

"The Cricle" She said frantically, her nails digging painfully into my shoulder.

"Mom, do you mean to say the… the Circle are here? Right now?"

As if in answer she pushed me hard and I staggered into a passer-by, both of us toppling onto the pavement.

"Woah! Are you okay there?!" I lay dazed on the floor.

"Maybe I should call an ambulance… can you hear me?" my eyes focused on a boy's face peering worriedly at me.

"My mom…" I murmured.

"Are you okay?" the boy repeated. "I saw that woman push you, there's some weird people around Roseville, let me help you up" the boy grabbed me by the hand and gently hauled me up. I looked around dizzily searching for my mom in the crowds but I couldn't see her anywhere.

"I need to go" I tried to pull out of the boys grasp but almost fell flat on my face.

"No, sit down here" He said gently as he took me to a nearby bench.

"You said your mom was near, can you see her?" He asked. I shook my head in despair. As I started to feel less like I was about to faint I finally looked the boy in the eyes.

"I'm Josh" he told me. "I haven't seen you around here before, where do you go to school?"

Just as I was about to blurt out some crap about being home schooled I stopped myself. Why should I lie? What was the point? I was surprised he hadn't guessed yet what with me being severely underweight and ghostly pale. Dead. I looked dead.

I averted my eyes to the floor. "I go… to the Gallagher Academy"

It surprised me when Josh took a small step away from me and looked down at the floor. Maybe he wasn't as nice as I'd first thought; he was like all the others, judging me.

"Oh… the… mental institution?" He asked giddily. I nodded.

"Well, if you're really okay, I guess I'll be off…"

"Wait!" I leapt up and winced as Josh took a giant leap away from me as if I were contagious or about to kill him.

"That woman you saw push me, did you see where she went?"

Josh carried on staring at me as if I were mad. "Urm, no, now if that's it then I really need to get going"

Suddenly I saw a group of girls my age that looked like they were waiting for him. He sauntered off towards them as I watched him go forlornly from the bench.

"Who was she?" I heard one of the girls ask.

Josh laughed. "Just some mental chick who escaped Gallagher, she was a freak"

I felt tears well in my eyes, but putting back on my spy mask I blinked the tears away.

"Hey, jerk!" I heard someone yell across the pavement. I looked up in shock and almost passed out when I saw Zach standing there looking capable of murder. Josh turned round and eyed him up.

"Yeah, you!" Zach shouted as he walked straight up to Josh.

"What's your problem? Calling Cammie a freak?" Zach was right up in Josh's face now.

"I… I… I… Well, what's it to you?" Josh asked with all the authority he could muster, which wasn't much. He looked like a toddler up against Zach's muscular frame.

"She's…" Now Zach looked lost, and I wondered if he was going to say I was just a stranger. "My girlfriend" Zach glared at Josh.

Josh's eyes almost popped out his head, probably in disbelief that someone like me could even be associated with someone like Zach.

"Well… I… sorry man" Josh took a step back.

"I'll make you sorry!" Zach fumed and I watched in horror as Zach punched Josh square in the jaw. The girls all gasped, me included as I ran up to them.

"Stop Zach!" I yelled. Everyone was staring at us, a little group had formed around the 'fight' and a lot of the older women were tutting disapprovingly.

"Let's just go Zach" I grabbed his arm and used all my strength, which wasn't much, to drag him to a deserted alleyway.

"What did you do that for?!" I raged.

Zach looked down guilty. "Sorry, it just upset me what he said"

Zach finally met my gaze. "Does that mean we're equal now? You lied, I beat up a random stranger" He asked.

"I guess so" I smiled. Zach's hand gripped my face tightly, his fingers brushed along my frail jaw line, his eyes were gazing so deeply into mine I thought I was going to fall over. Let's just say the kiss that followed was about five minutes and fifty three seconds long, until I pulled away.

"Hey, I don't remember you asking me to be your girlfriend" I smirked.

"Well, I guess my fight with Josh was my way of asking" my heart thudded as Zach's fingers entwined in my hair. "And I thought that kiss was your way of accepting"

"Maybe" I laughed, but it was a while before I realised someone else was laughing along too, and it wasn't Zach.

"Oh, how touching" Someone slipped out of the shadows, a woman.

Zach pulled me behind him.

"What do you want?" He almost spat out with disgust.

"I think you already know that Zachary, darling, aren't you going to introduce your own mom to your girlfriend?"

"No Catherine" he hissed.

"Well, I was wondering if I could borrow her for a second?" Catherine snarled maliciously.

"No" Zach repeated and I felt him start to edge backwards.

"Very well" She smiled in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

"Now!" She shouted. I felt Zach shove me backwards but my sharp eyes caught the movement on the rooftops above us, someone was hurtling right towards me from the sky. I stood frozen. I watched in horror as someone fell roughly onto Zach causing him to yell out with pain. But then just as suddenly I couldn't see anything, someone was crushing my body, someone was causing pain to cascade through my body. I didn't yell out, I couldn't even whisper, my body felt like it was on fire. But then just as suddenly the pain subsided and I gasped in deep breaths of burning air. I lay paralysed for a while on the ground, only hearing grunts of people falling dead around me. I turned over onto my side ignoring the stab of pain and watched as Zach wrestled men twice his size to the ground, his face grimaced in pain. I began to stand, to try to help him, but someone pushed me back down.

"Stay down Cammie" I relaxed at the sound of Mr Solomon's voice and relief flooded through my body, but subsided as soon as I heard a scream from my mom. Suddenly, I didn't care about the pain, I didn't care about Mr Solomon trying to hold me down, I felt more determined than when I'd wanted to simply speak to my mom on the phone, because this time I knew I'd be saving her life.

I leapt up, determination seeped through my body. I looked around frantically and though my blurry eyes refused to focus I could make up my mom's figure… with a gun being held to her heart. I ran, her attacker stared at me in horror as I tried to snatch the gun out of his hand, but I froze in horror as the attacker who still had a light grip on the gun looked into my eyes and pulled the trigger, the nose of the gun still pointing straight towards my mom.

**Revieeeeew please!**


	11. Hope

**A/N:**

**Merry Christmas y'all, here's your update!**

_Previously:_

_I leapt up, determination seeped through my body. I looked around frantically and though my blurry eyes refused to focus I could make up my mom's figure… with a gun being held to her heart. I ran, her attacker stared at me in horror as I tried to snatch the gun out of his hand, but I froze in horror as the attacker who still had a light grip on the gun looked into my eyes and pulled the trigger, the nose of the gun still pointing straight towards my mom._

()()()()

The gunshot that followed echoed through the alleyway like a whisper. Zach's final attacker fell to the floor. Mr Solomon was grabbing the gun out of my mom's attacker/potential killer's hand and with one deft motion a bullet went straight into the man's heart. But my eyes were only on my mom, her eyes were only on me.

"Mom, don't move" I found myself saying as I rushed over to her. "I'll get Mr Solomon to get help" I shrugged off my jacket and looked for where blood was seeping out, but I couldn't see anywhere. Finally my mom looked down at my stomach and my heart stopped. I followed her gaze to where blood flowed freely out of my side. The first thing I felt was relief. My mom was safe; my mom wasn't going to die. The second was the pain. I fell onto the floor, everything felt like slow-motion as all the faces of the people I cared about leaned over me.

"Stay awake Cammie" I winced as I heard Zach's voice say the same words he'd said at the fire. He'd saved me back then, but there was really nothing he could do now. I used the last of my energy to look down my body where Zach was trying to stop the bleeding with my jacket, his fingers fumbling hastily in his rush to stop the blood. That was when I knew… I had no chance, Zach was a spy, and he was never clumsy.

Someone pushed my head back down. "It should have been me!" I heard my mom sob. "Someone just hurry up and get the CIA! Joe!"

"They're on their way" Mr Solomon reassured her. "Zach, keep putting pressure on the wound"

"I am" Zach said.

Every word began to become a struggle to understand, it sounded like people were whispering.

"I love you" My mom whispered into my ear. I smiled. This must surely be the best way to die… except from the pain. I felt my body begin to relax, letting the pain engulf me.

"Please don't give up Cammie" Zach was saying… well at least that's what I thought he said. What I hoped he said, because I tried my best not to give up.

It was ages before I heard the sirens… but then I heard my mom say "Thank god they were quick"

Suddenly it felt like my body was being shoved in all directions, cold hands gripped onto me tightly.

"Let… me… go" I managed to murmur.

"It's okay darling, I'm with the CIA" the woman said.

"Let me carry her!" I relaxed again at the sound of Zach's voice.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea…" The woman began to say. "She may not want that"

It took all the strength I had but I finally managed to mutter something that sounded a little like "Zach…"

I felt myself being jostled a little and then I was in warm and familiar arms. "This doesn't mean you can sleep Cammie, you need to stay awake" I heard Zach say sternly. I smiled to myself, it was no more than the slightest twitch of my lips but by the way Zach suddenly held my body tighter I was sure he'd seen.

I felt myself being laid on some kind of bed… "Zach" I muttered in alarm.

"I'm right here, I promise I'll stay with you Cammie, your mom's here too, and Mr Solomon, it will all be okay…"

Those were the last words I heard before everything turned black. The only thing I could feel was Zach's hand in mine, and I never felt it leave.

()()()()

"Do you think she can hear us?"

"No" someone said definitely.

I felt someone gently stroking the back of my right hand, someone else had a firmer grip on my left hand and I instantly recognised it as Zach's hand.

I somehow managed to twitch my fingers. "She's awake!" I heard Zach's voice; I'd never heard him so happy before.

"How do you know?" I heard my mom ask.

"She moved her fingers!" Zach sounded like a child opening their presents on Christmas day.

"She didn't move her right hand" my mom's voice sounded dead. "Are you sure?"

It took all of my will power but I gave my mom's hand a feeble squeeze.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed. "Cammie, if you can hear me, I love you so much!"

I could feel my consciousness drifting, but I gave each of their hands a final squeeze.

"I love you too Cammie…" I couldn't bet on it… but I could have sworn that was Zach who spoke.

()()()()

"It's been four weeks now"

"I know… but the doctor said that's normal when the patient has been in a coma"

_Four weeks. Coma._

I was sure my heart stopped at their words. How could it have been four weeks since I'd last woken up? I was absolutely determined not to sleep again…

()()()()

"How long has it been now?"

"Ten weeks"

I immediately panicked. This time I was determined. I would not sleep until I'd spoken to Zach… I took a deep breath… but chocked. Something was lodged in my throat, my painfully numb hand tried to move whatever was blocking my windpipe but something was pulling at my hand.

"Cammie calm down!" Someone urged. "Doctor!" Someone was yelling. I tried to breathe again but there was still something blocking my throat, why couldn't they get it out! I was still chocking, I could feel tear pouring down my cheeks, the heart monitor beside me was going crazy, and the beeping was pounding annoyingly in my head. I reached with my other hand and felt the wires holding back my hand. I pulled them out, somehow managing to scream at the pain it created, hot liquid was pouring down my hand.

"Cammie, calm down, open your eyes, you're in hospital!" I didn't recognise the voice, I continued to scream.

"Cammie, I'm here!" as soon as I heard the voice I felt my body relax, I frantically felt for Zach's hand and found it.

"Cammie, breathe, just breathe!"

"…Can't…" I managed to choke out.

"You're on a ventilation tube so you have to breathe steadily"

As I swallowed I could in fact I could feel the tube obstructing my throat, I tried to do what Zach said and breathe slowly, and sure enough I could finally feel fresh air filling my lungs, burning my throat.

"I know it feels strange" The man said. "And I know it hurts, but it will help you to breathe easier"

I felt Zach's fingers trace the back of my hand and I finally opened my eyes. At first the only thing I could see was a blinding light, I blinked stupidly. It took a while but my eyes finally grew accustomed to the light and I could start to make out the shapes of the people surround me. Zach and a man I had no idea of the name of.

"I'm your Doctor" the man answered my unasked question, he wasn't looking at me though, he was looking at my hand. I followed his stare and gasped at the blood pouring out where I'd ripped out some tubes.

"I need to sort that out" he said. "Look the other way"

I did as he said and looked at the only other place I could. Towards Zach.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. It wasn't until he asked that I felt the stabbing pain in my stomach where I'd obviously been shot, but otherwise I just felt numb.

"I feel like…" I began to say fine, but Zach's expression was telling me not to lie. "Like I haven't slept for ten weeks"

Zach shivered as he said. "That's exactly how long you _have _been sleeping… it's probably the morphine"

There was one question that was burning at the forefront of my head, but I was too scared to ask it, and I could see Zach was too scared to give me the answer… but then he sighed.

"We won't be going back to The Gallagher Academy Cammie" He smiled warily.

"Why not?" I asked panic stricken. "What about Liz, Bex and… Macey"

Zach smiled a little at this. "They're coming back to Blackthorne with us"

"But what about Mr Smith? And their parents? And…"

"Cammie, we go to a school for spies…" He started to say but I gave him a frantic nudge and looked towards the doctor sorting out my hand.

The doctor smirked. "It's okay, I'm with the CIA" the doctor smiled.

Zach smirked and continued. "We go to a school for spies, your mom managed to get proof about what was going on at the Gallagher Academy and she's at the Langley CIA base right now trying to sort out letting everyone from there come to Blackthorne"

"Do you think she'll be able to?" I asked.

"Of course" Zach smiled. "This is your mom we're talking about"

"And… what did the Circle want me for?" I asked shakily.

Zach seemed reluctant to answer at first… I mistook it for sadness about his mom being dead.

"Are you sad… about your mom?"

"Of course not" Zach almost laughed and I breathed a sigh of relief, but then Zach's eyes hardened. "They wanted the names of the Circle members… the ones that your dad died to protect… but it's okay, because they didn't get them" Zach smiled.

The doctor finally left and the room descended in an awkward silence.

"Zach I need to ask you something" I sighed, knowing Zach might laugh at me.

"I heard you say you love me" I couldn't meet Zach's eyes but he was trying to meet mine.

"I did" Zach confirmed. I looked up at him. "Because it's true" he shrugged as if he were trying to make out it was no big deal.

"Well, I kinda feel the same" I smiled. Zach looked up at me sharply.

"Even after everything I've done?" He asked.

"What?" I frowned.

"Cammie, I let you get shot, how can you still love me after that?"

"Fairly easily!" I cried out indignantly "Especially as it wasn't your fault." Zach raised his eyebrows sceptically. "At all" I said defiantly, signalling that was the end of the argument.

Zach sighed in defeat. "Fine, you win our first ever argument as boyfriend and girlfriend" Zach smirked. I rolled my eyes.

That night I slept badly… it was mainly due to the fact I didn't want to sleep. Zach was cuddled up next to me, his arm draped gently over my body, my head on his chest. It was just so perfect that I was scared to sleep and realise that another week had gone past… another month… or even a year!

"Go to sleep Cammie" Zach muttered into the pillow.

"I don't want to" I said as I cuddled up tighter next to him.

"I'll still be here when you wake up" Zach promised as his fingers brushed gently through my hair.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise" Zach replied. And he never broke that promise.

**So at the moment this is looking like the end unless I decide to do another chapter just to finish a few things off… but I'm thinking this looks like a fairly okay place to end. What do you think? Revieeeeew please! Also check out my new story 'Rebellious'!**


	12. Epilogue

**A/N:**

**A little epilogue, I felt this story really needed it, so enjoy this last chapter!**

_Previously:_

"_I'll still be here when you wake up" Zach promised as his fingers brushed gently through my hair._

"_Promise?" I asked._

"_Promise" Zach replied. And he never broke that promise._

()()()()

"Don't worry Cammie, you'll get it eventually" my mom said soothingly, but it didn't calm me down, I was so determined.

"Cammie, don't push it" my mom said with more of a hardness in her voice as she prised me off of Zach.

"I don't get it" I whimpered clutching at my side. "I pinned him down within five minutes yesterday!"

"Well I'm getting stronger too y'know Gallagher Girl" Zach smirked. I sighed. I'd brought my mom down here to show her I was now capable of being moved to the same P&E class as the rest of the girls my age but I'd probably done the opposite and made her want me to stop doing P&E altogether.

"Let's try again" Zach pulled me closer to him.

"No Zach, Cammie needs to rest, she…"

"I'm fine mom" I sighed as I felt the pain in my side subside. Me and Zach stood facing each other, I lunged at him. It may have taken longer than five minutes but finally Zach's shoulders were pinned beneath my knees. I smiled in satisfaction.

"Nice one Gallagher Girl" Zach panted.

"Well… I'm still not sure…" My mom started to say.

"Please mom!" I begged. "It's been over five months now!"

"I…"

"Please!" I practically screamed.

"Fine" My mom sighed. "Zach, I'm trusting you to keep an eye on her"

"Oh course" Zach said.

"Thanks mom" I smiled and ran to hug her. She tensed a little before hugging me back. Me and my mom hadn't been on great terms lately, she'd distanced herself from me after I'd been shot, feeling like it was all her fault and I hadn't been quick to forgive her about the whole dumping me in a mental institution and not talking to me thing.

"Are you free to have dinner later?" My mom asked a little warily. I shifted under her gaze guiltily, I'd made excuses not to go for almost three Sunday's in a row now… I really couldn't think of any more excuses.

"Okay" I said. "I'll see you at six"

()()()()

"Hi Bex" I said as I walked into our room.

"Hiya Cammie" Bex smiled.

"How was counselling?" I asked her. She shivered slightly at the word, remember previous counselling sessions gone by, but of course here at Blackthorne counselling was handled _very _differently, Bex was almost considered normal now.

"Pretty good" Bex smiled. "Mr Solomon said I only had one session left, and me and Macey got moved up to the ninth graders class in CoveOps too"

"Nice one" I smiled.

"I know right!" She grinned as she picked up the 'Advanced CoveOps practise' book. "Did your mom let you move up in P&E?"

"Yep" I grinned back.

"Awesome" Bex said as Liz and Macey walked in.

"How's your senior classes going Lizzie?" Bex asked as she walked in. Although Liz had absolutely no experience of being a spy, she was clever. So clever that she'd actually been put straight into the highest level classes.

"Brilliant" Liz looked ecstatic as she dropped the huge pile of books onto her bed. "I love it all, especially the research track of study! It's fascinating, and Mr Solomon said I don't need counselling anymore"

"Same here" Macey said as she dropped her slightly lesser pile of books onto her bed. "Mr Solomon said I would be fine now if I just keep in a good state of mind or something like that"

"How are your classes going?" I asked her. I knew Macey had had slightly more trouble than the rest of us settling into Blackthorne.

"Not bad" she nodded. "I think I'm getting the hang of CoveOps, hopefully I'll be able to move up with Bex soon"

I nodded. Of course, me and Zach had been able to re-join all our old classes and carry on where we'd left off, it had taken us almost no time at all to catch up with the rest of the class, except of course being shot does hold you back a little in P&E, but now that I was back with my old class for that too it really felt like things were almost back to how they were, except they were better, because of Zach and I had Bex, Macey and Liz as friends.

Suddenly I let out a deep sigh.

"What's up Cammie? Is your stomach hurting again?" Liz asked in concern.

"No" I shook my head. "I have to go to dinner with my mom"

Liz glanced at me sympathetically.

"See you later" I sighed.

"Bye Cammie" they chorused.

I wandered slowly down the corridor, attempting to waste as much time as possible.

"You okay?" Zach's voice made me jump. I turned around and blinked twice at how close he was to me.

"Does it hurt?" Zach's fingers gently brushed over my stomach where I'd been shot.

I shook my head. "Not so much anymore"

Zach pulled me in closer to him as he whispered "Good"

His hands entwined in my hair as he began kissing me and I lost my breath.

"Ahem…" We both jumped apart at the sound of my mom's voice.

"I'll… see you later" Zach muttered as he shot me a sympathetic smirk.

"Bye…" I watched him go. My mom's hand came to rest on my shoulder.

"I cooked chicken nuggets" She smiled. I grimaced but followed her through to her office.

I took a seat on the comfy sofa I loved.

"So how's school going?" my mom asked as if she didn't already know.

I smiled to myself. "Pretty good"

"Good" she smiled. "And how… how are you feeling?" Her eyes lingered over the way I sat carefully in the chair, not slouching like I normal would to stop my stomach from hurting.

"Why do people keep asking that?!" I sighed. "It was five months ago"

My mom winced at the memory and came to sit beside me, ignoring the smell of burning chicken nuggets.

"I just worry about you" She stroked my hair gently.

"Well you need to stop" I suddenly felt the annoyance of the past five months bubbling up in my stomach as I got up from the sofa. "I was shot mom" I watched as her eyes filled with tears. "I was shot!" I repeated louder. "But life goes on, and you need to get over it!"

My mom pulled me back down onto the sofa and cupped her hands around my face. "It's not about that though for you is it?" she whispered. "You're disappointed in me for leaving you at Gallagher"

It wasn't a question. She knew.

"Maybe… maybe we both have things we need to get over" I whispered.

She nodded. "You'll never know how much I regret what I did to you, putting you in that place"

I looked at the sincerity in her eyes. "I know" I nodded.

I looked down at the floor. "I was thinking… the Circle… they have… more members don't they? Although Catherine's gone, the Circle will be back"

I could see a million lies forming in my mom's head to try to cover up the truth… but then she seemed to finally decide the truth was the best option.

"Yes" she breathed. "But we've upgraded security; they'll never get in here…"

"I can't stay in here forever!" I suddenly panicked at the thought. "One day…"

"One day we'll have to fight" my mom met my gaze. "But not today. When we're ready, when everyone's ready"

I nodded, knowing that was the only and best explanation I would get.

She hugged me, and this time she neither of us tensed up, for a moment we were back where we'd left off months ago, before anything like this had happened.

"Everything will be okay" My mom sobbed into my shoulder.

"Promise?" I asked.

My mom nodded. "Promise" she whispered.

**The End.**

**Review please!**


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